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Cable Standing Hip Extension animation

How to do the Cable Standing Hip Extension

Glutes & HamstringsGlutes & HamsCableBeginner

The cable standing hip extension isolates your glutes and hamstrings through a controlled range of motion that free weights often miss, making it a precision tool for building posterior chain strength from the ground up. Consistency on this movement carves real shape into the glutes while reinforcing the hip hinge pattern you need for every major lower body lift.

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Muscles worked

Primary
GlutesHamstrings
Secondary
Lower backCalves

Step-by-step

  1. Attach an ankle cuff to the low pulley, secure it to your working ankle, and stand facing the machine with a slight forward lean gripping the frame for support.
  2. Shift your weight onto your planted leg, brace your core, and keep a soft bend in the standing knee throughout the movement.
  3. Drive the cuffed leg straight back in a smooth arc by squeezing the glute, stopping when your hip is fully extended without arching your lower back.
  4. Lower the leg back under control to the starting position, resisting the cable pull on the way down to maximize time under tension.

Common mistakes

  • Hyperextending the lower back to gain range — focus on moving only at the hip and stop the rep the moment your spine wants to compensate.
  • Using momentum to swing the leg back — reduce the weight and slow down so the glute is doing the work on every single inch of the movement.
  • Standing fully upright with no forward lean — a slight hip hinge toward the stack shifts tension directly onto the glutes instead of the lower back.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep pause for a full one-second isometric squeeze before lowering — this brief hold closes the mind-muscle connection and drives far greater glute activation than simply swinging through the range of motion.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

More Glutes & Hamstrings exercises

Barbell Bench SquatBarbell Bench SquatBarbell DeadliftBarbell DeadliftBarbell Front SquatBarbell Front SquatBarbell Lying Lifting (On Hip)Barbell Lying Lifting (On Hip)Barbell Romanian DeadliftBarbell Romanian DeadliftBarbell Seated Good MorningBarbell Seated Good Morning
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