PENDULUM KICK BACK

• Stability and Balance: The standing cable kickback is an effective exercise but has a major limitation related to stability and balance. Due to the direction of the resistance and the standing position, balance is greatly challenged, requiring the user to exert a high level of stabilization. This often results in significant activation of the glutes in the non-working or standing leg for stabilization. Consequently, stability and balance become the limiting factors for increasing load, not the weight itself.
• Central Nervous System Output: Given the number of muscle groups involved in generating the required stability (supported leg, core, arms, etc.), the output of the central nervous system towards the glutes is significantly reduced. This negatively impacts the ability to maximally stimulate the glutes.
• Skill Requirement: Standing cable kickbacks require significant skill to perform correctly, making them less ideal for beginners.
• Range of Motion: The range of motion is limited, especially if the cable is positioned at a low height. Additionally, it is difficult to achieve a good stretch in the glutes and work them in their lengthened position at the beginning of the exercise. To do so, the cable must be placed at a significantly high position, which again challenges stability and leaves the end part of the range unchallenged.

The Pendulum Kickback is performed in a kneeling position with support at the chest using a total of three different pads and hand grips. This setup provides extreme stability, eliminating the need for the user to exert any force to counterbalance the movement. Stability is no longer a limiting factor, allowing for optimal progressive overload. Since the demands for stabilization are minimal, fewer muscles are involved during the exercise, and the output of the central nervous system towards the glutes is significantly superior. The increased range of motion and the defined resistance profile, where the heaviest part of the motion is at the beginning, allow the glutes to experience a good stretch, working optimally from their lengthened to their fully shortened position.

There are two main differences:

• Path or Trajectory of Movement: Most kickback machines display a more linear path of motion with significant knee flexo-extension, resulting in the quadriceps being major contributors to the movement.
• Resistance Profile: Most machines have an ascending resistance profile, meaning the weight and challenge increase at the end range of motion. This leaves a significant portion of the exercise not being properly challenged.

The Pendulum Kickback describes a "pendulum" or arc path of motion, replicating the mechanics of the hips while minimizing knee flexo-extension, which isolates the glutes and limits the involvement of the quadriceps and hamstrings. Regarding the resistance profile, the Pendulum Kickback features a descending resistance profile, with the greatest weight at the beginning of the movement when the hips are bent, glutes are lengthened, and we are strongest. The resistance decreases as the hips extend, aligning with the human strength profile, thus optimally challenging the entire range of motion. If desired, resistance bands can be added to overload the end range.