KEY AREAS: Glutes, Lower Back, Hamstrings, Hips, Core
START POSITION: Crouch down onto your knees and elbows so that your upper arms and upper legs are both vertical, and parallel to each other.
Your forearms should be pointing inwards slightly so that your hands are almost touching. I prefer to have my hands touching but I think this is just because I have a lanky build.
NOTES: Move one knee backwards and upwards in an arcing motion, and as you do so slowly extend the whole leg and point the toes backwards. At the highest point of the move, your heel should be the highest part of your body. Hold this position for about a second before lowering your leg slowly back down again all the way so that both thighs are lined up again. I advise you to do one or two reps with each leg before switching to the other leg.
The Donkey Kick can feel awkward for beginners at first, and lets be honest you don’t often see people doing this one every day of the week! It is slightly unusual in its form, but that’s ok – we often need to do odd looking exercises to balance out the more tedious movements of everyday life. Persevere with this one and concentrate on getting the form right because the benefits are many. However, be aware that some exercises which offer large benefits also come with an increased risk of injury if not performed correctly. So get it right and you win big. Get it wrong and you lose big. Think about what you are doing. Think about every small aspect of your form. Strive for perfection.
Having said that, not all exercises are suited to everyone, so if you are struggling with this one then please just skip it and come back to it at some future point when you have practiced with some other exercises.