Donkey Kicks vs Squats: Which Is Better for the Glutes?

Butt exercises are not only for shaping your butt like a peach, but for strong glutes that support smooth body movement on a daily basis. Whether it’s walking, standing, or climbing stairs, your glutes need help with mobility. Since most of us spend a lot of time sitting on a laptop and working, our glutes become weak. Ask any fitness expert and they’ll tell you to get up and walk every 30 minutes to prevent your glutes from weakening. You can also add exercises like squats and donkey kicks to your fitness routine. But should you go for squats or ass kicks to strengthen the glutes?

What are squats?

Squats are specifically aimed at the lower body. They target the muscles of the hips, buttocks and thighs, thus helping in toning and strengthening them.

What are donkey kicks?

The exercise ‘donkey kicks’ mimics the kicking motion of a donkey, hence the name. It primarily targets the gluteus maximus. It also works the core muscles, including the lower back, abdominals and hamstrings, explains fitness expert Varun Rattan.

Ass kicks vs squats

While donkey kicks are a good exercise for isolating the glutes, squats are undoubtedly great for strengthening this muscle group. Squats engage a wide range of lower body muscles, including the glutes. This comprehensive engagement leads to more significant muscle development and strength.
Moreover, squats are a more functional exercise, mimicking the movements we do in our daily lives, such as sitting and standing. This functionality translates into better performance in daily activities.

How to do donkey kicks?

Donkey kicks can always complement your workout routine, contributing to muscle development and variety in your workout regimen. This exercise isolates the glutes and helps build muscle strength and endurance.

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Here’s how to do donkey kicks:

• Start on all fours, which means you should place your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Bend your right knee at a 90-degree angle and lift your right leg until your thigh is parallel to the floor and your foot is pointed toward the ceiling. You can hold a tennis ball in the bend of your knee to learn the movement.
• Lower your leg back to the starting position. Go for the desired number of repetitions and then switch your legs.

Do donkey kicks two to three times a week to strengthen the glutes. You can start with two sets of 10 to 15 repetitions on each leg, then gradually increase as your strength improves, Rattan suggests.

What are the variations of ass kicks?

Try a variety of donkey kicks to make your exercise routine more fun.

1. Ass kick with a resistance band

• Place a loop band around the balls of your heels.
• Exercise as usual with added resistance.

2. Kick ass pulses

Instead of returning your knee to the starting position, keep it high and make small pulsing movements.

3. The Smith Machine kicks ass

• Set up the Smith machine with the desired weight.
• Place your feet under the bar and face down on the floor.
• Perform the donkey kick movement against the resistance of the Smith machine.

But before moving on to more challenging versions of this butt exercise, make sure you’re comfortable doing a basic ass kick workout for the glutes.