For glute growth

Cable Glute Kickback vs Smith Machine Hip Thrust

For glute growth, Smith machine hip thrust rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the glutes, easier to progress.

Cable glute kickback gives more stretch.

Both are good choices that train the glutes the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Smith Machine Hip Thrust

Machine

Research score

Target tension

Strong

Excellent

Loaded stretch

Good

Fair

Progression

Strong

Excellent

Low cost

Excellent

See the full glutes ranking

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose cable glute kickback

You want more load on the glutes while they’re stretched
One side is weaker than the other
You want to train the glutes on their own

Good reasons to choose Smith machine hip thrust

You want the glutes to do the work, not other muscles
You want to keep adding weight in small steps
You want to train more muscles at once

Cable Glute Kickback

Smith Machine Hip Thrust

You need

Cable station

Smith machine, bench

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Compound

One side at a time

Yes

Why they rank where they do

Cable Glute Kickback. Steady cable tension on one glute at a time. Joint-friendly, but lighter than compound lifts.

Smith Machine Hip Thrust. A hip thrust on rails: stable and simple to load, with the glutes working mostly at the top.

Questions

Which is better for glute growth, cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust?

For glute growth, Smith machine hip thrust rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the glutes, easier to progress. Cable glute kickback gives more stretch. Both are good choices that train the glutes the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

Is cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust at home?

Cable glute kickback needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Smith machine hip thrust needs a Smith machine and a bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.

More comparisons

Cable Glute Kickback Smith Machine Hip Thrust All glutes exercises

Cable Glute Kickback vs Smith Machine Hip Thrust

For glute growth, Smith machine hip thrust rates higher on our research criteria: more of the work on the glutes, easier to progress.

Cable glute kickback gives more stretch.

Both are good choices that train the glutes the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.

What these mean

Target tension.: Whether the muscle you’re training is what gives out first, not your grip, balance or other muscles.
Loaded stretch.: How hard the muscle works while stretched. Training it there is linked to more growth.
Progression.: How easily you can keep adding weight in small steps over months and years.
Low cost.: How easy it is on your joints and recovery, and how quickly you can learn it.

The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work

When each one fits

Good reasons to choose cable glute kickback

You want more load on the glutes while they’re stretched
One side is weaker than the other
You want to train the glutes on their own

Good reasons to choose Smith machine hip thrust

You want the glutes to do the work, not other muscles
You want to keep adding weight in small steps
You want to train more muscles at once

Cable Glute Kickback

Smith Machine Hip Thrust

You need

Cable station

Smith machine, bench

Skill

Easy to learn

Type

Isolation

Compound

One side at a time

Yes

Why they rank where they do

Cable Glute Kickback. Steady cable tension on one glute at a time. Joint-friendly, but lighter than compound lifts.

Smith Machine Hip Thrust. A hip thrust on rails: stable and simple to load, with the glutes working mostly at the top.

Questions

Which is better for glute growth, cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust?

Is cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust easier to learn?

About the same: both are easy to learn.

Can you do cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust at home?

Cable glute kickback needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Smith machine hip thrust needs a Smith machine and a bench, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.

Which is easier on the joints, cable glute kickback or Smith machine hip thrust?

About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.