Smith kneeling rear kick

The Smith kneeling rear kick targets the glutes and hamstrings while improving balance and stability.

  1. Kneel in front of a Smith machine with your knees hip-width apart.
  2. Secure the bar at shoulder height and position it behind your shoulders.
  3. Engage your core and extend one leg back, keeping it straight.
  4. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

How to perform the Smith kneeling rear kick

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Smith kneeling rear kick using your smith machine.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your hamstrings.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your hamstrings rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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