Glute kickbacks, specifically quadruped kickbacks, involve bending the knee to shorten the hamstring and focusing on hip extension.
Based on the reference provided, here's how to do a quadruped glute kickback:
- Starting Position: Begin on your hands and knees in a quadruped position. Ensure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips.
- Engage Your Core: Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to stabilize your spine.
- Bend the Knee: Bend the knee of the leg you'll be working on. This helps to isolate the glute muscles.
- Hip Extension: Extend your hip, lifting your bent leg up and back. Focus on squeezing your glute at the top of the movement. Avoid arching your back excessively; the movement should primarily come from your hip.
- Controlled Movement: Lower your leg back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- Repetitions: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions on one leg, then switch to the other leg.
Key Points for Proper Form:
- Core Engagement: Maintain core stability to prevent lower back pain.
- Glute Focus: Concentrate on using your glutes to power the movement, not momentum.
- Avoid Overextension: Do not overextend or arch your back, which can lead to injury.
- Controlled Pace: Perform the exercise with a slow and controlled pace, both during the lifting and lowering phases.