Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback
The Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback is a cable exercise that primarily targets the glutes, with assistance from the glutes. It is a staple in well-designed hypertrophy and strength programs when programmed with proper volume and progressive overload.
How to perform the Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback
- 1Clip the ankle strap to the low cable, attach it to your working ankle, stand facing the machine holding on for balance, and step back so there’s light tension on the cable with your working leg slightly behind you, knee softly straight and toes pointing slightly in. Lean your upper body just a little forward from the hips, brace your abs, and keep your standing leg firm under you.
- 2Keeping your working leg mostly straight, smoothly kick your leg back and out at a diagonal line, squeezing your glutes at the end without arching your lower back, then pause briefly. Control the cable as you slowly bring your leg back to the start position, breathing out as you kick back and breathing in as you return under control.
Coach tips
- Start with a light weight so you can control the motion and avoid swinging your leg or using your lower back to move the cable.
- Keep your hips and chest facing forward; don’t let your body twist as your leg moves out to the side.
- Think about driving through your heel and feeling the squeeze high in your glutes—if you feel strain in your lower back, reduce the weight or shorten the range of motion.
Train glutes smarter
One rep, one set. Hypro turns the Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback into measurable progress, week after week.
The right weight, every set
Hypro suggests your next Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback weight and reps based on what you actually lifted, your rest, and your fatigue. Choose weight-first or reps-first. The more you log, the sharper it gets.
See exactly how much glutes you train each week
Every set you log counts toward weekly volume per muscle group. Spot imbalances, avoid junk volume, and program the same way IFBB Pros do.
Use this exercise inside an IFBB Pro plan
Pick a coach-made program, get a plan matched to your goals, and message your coach for form checks. The Cable Straight Leg Diagonal Kickback fits right into proven hypertrophy and strength templates.
For optimal glutes hypertrophy: aim for 10-20 weekly sets at 65-80% of your 1RM with 1-2 reps in reserve.
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