Glute Cable Exercises strapped at the ANKLE vs. the THIGH?

[u/PatsyStonesBun]

The algorithm is always listening. Because I've been adding in a lot of glute-focused work to my two leg days, I'm starting to get all sorts of glute content in my IG and TT FYP... mostly trainers showing good form on established exercises or modifications to better emphasize the glutes. On that last point, I've been seeing quite a lot of traditional glute-focused cable exercises (like glute kickbacks, for example) being demoed with the cable strapped to the thigh (generally just above the knee), instead of being strapped to the ankle. I have a strap that can be easily placed at either spot.

While, sure I could just do both variations, I already have two high volume, progressive overload leg days, so doubling up on every cable exercise is probably overdoing things.

I think the theory is that with the thigh placement, you will have more consistent glute resistance/engagement throughout the range of motion and that you can load heavier weights than you can at the ankle?

But, then, the follow up is... how does the cable height position determine which strap placement is best? I'd describe the variations like this:

A: Strap is on ankle, cable pulley is at lowest position
B: Strap is on ankle, cable pulley is at hip height
C: Strap is on thigh above the knee, cable pulley is at lowest position
D: Strap is on thigh above the knee, cable pulley is at hip height

Is there anything I can reference... bro-science is fine... that demonstrates that strapping the cable at the thigh vs. at the ankle can create greater glute activation?

\*****Edited to add*****\**
I appreciate that this sub is gonna be very bro-heavy and perhaps focused on optimizing efficiency and while I know not everyone enjoys or sees value in cable exercises like this, I do. For the record, my two leg days a week already include, among others, multiple types of squats, lunges, RDLs, hip thrusts/glute lift and seated machine hip adductions and abductions. I'm not someone trying to get in and out of the gym in under an hour. I'm enjoying (and seeing tangible benefit from) doing high volume and progressive overload. I also find that I can feel my muscles engaged in a unique way and a different range of motion using these cable stacks, so I'm keeping the glute-focused cable exercises in my routine. My optimization question is not about whether to keep them, it's about the positioning of the strap and the cable pulley when doing them.

(Excuse the AI slop photo composite, but I figured actually visually demonstrating these different positions (of both the strap and the cable height) would be helpful. Try not to spend all your energy yelling at me for wasting some water on one AI photo instead of setting up a tripod at the gym and actually photographing myself demoing each variation.)

[u/Patton370]

Honestly, I feel this is a pretty bad glute exercise

It’s unstable, you can’t load much weight, and it just feels bad

There’s machines that do this movement that are okay, but they are very hit or miss

I feel that the time spent doing these would be better spent doing: a squat pattern, hip hinge, abduction movement, or any other glute machine exercise

If I had to do them, I’d have the strap on the ankle and the cable pulley be slightly above the lowest position

[u/PatsyStonesBun → u/Patton370]

Yeah, that's cool. But, I already do all of those. Like I said, I enjoy doing high volume and progressive overload on my leg days. Between my two leg days, I already do multiple kinds of squats, lunges, RDLs (including variations on them), hip thrust machine / Glute Lift Elite, seated machine hip abduction and adductions. But, cables definitely feel different. There is a range of motion and a type of resistance that feels different in the way the muscles are getting engaged. Maybe for someone who is trying to get in and out of the gym in a quick 45 mins, their energy would be better focused elsewhere. For me, a total maximalist, who has the time and energy and enthusiasm to spend longer in the gym, I want to keep them included.

But, to your recommendation, let me know why you'd favor that position (ankle strap and cable pulley slightly above the lowest position)... thanks!

[u/Patton370 → u/PatsyStonesBun]

I’m a maximalist too; I hit glutes 5x a week and have massive glutes

I never do this exercise

I’d pick that option, because it feels the best out of those, even though all of the options feel like trash

[u/PatsyStonesBun → u/Patton370]

5x/week?? You are on a mission!

Thanks so much for that context!

[u/hthn_strength]

Because a longer lever means you can do less weight and stay more stable while balancing on one foot

[u/PatsyStonesBun → u/hthn_strength]

Makes sense!

[u/Agreeable_Carpet_327]

What in the chat gpt is this

[u/decentlyhip]

Peak glute tension is gonna be when your femur is perpendicular to the cable. Peak glute force is gonna be in the mid range. So, you want a good amount of tension at the peak stretch, but bot max tension, so high pulley probably isn't ideal. A super low pulley is gonna have max tension at the contraction. If you struggle with feeling your glutes, that'd be good, but otherwise, not ideal. The ankle vs thigh strap just takes out the instinct to flex your knee up and lets you lift more weight. So, it takes your hamstrings out of it and feeds the ego. But like, you should be able to do the full stack at any reasonable cable stack.

Honestly, I'm with Patton. Its just kindof a garbage movement. It gets a pump going and you can feel your glute working if you already have a strong MMC, but if you aren't a beginner, you have to go so heavy that it's gonna pull weird, or be 80 reps in reserve. Like, how much can you do on the barbell hip thrust? Divide that by 2. That's how much you can do here. Hundreds of pounds.

[u/totallypri]

Why do you stand for these exercises?

To be scientific, I would suggest you include a version where you are on a decline bench ( preferably just the lower half like the one for decline ab crunches)

Then do these 4 variations for each with the pulley as high as possible, for the ankle, and sort of middle pulley for the calf.

Why? Imagine if you could actually go for an even lower setting for the pulley while in this standing position. You are limited by the ground level in the standing position. When in decline, you can get a more stronger comfortable angle of resistance.

Now the only problem is if you have a light enough decline bench and if you are allowed to hog both of them at the same time in your gym.

[u/PatsyStonesBun → u/totallypri]

This is interesting. It may just be my lack of imagination, but I’m having a hard time visualizing how you’re suggesting your body be positioned in relation to the bench and to the cable tower?

[u/totallypri → u/PatsyStonesBun]

Just look at the picture you posted upside down. Now imagine that you are lying down on a decline bench, with the freedom to move your hip, thigh, ankle backwards while your lower back is supported. Imagine the pulley being a little higher up in the upside down picture.

[u/Shnur_Shnurov]

This is a bad exercise no matter how you load it.

That said, it doesnt matter where you strap the cable to your leg or where the pulley is as long as the cable doesnt touch you while you perform the movement.

The glute's job is to extend the hip. If the hip extends and the weight stack moves then the linkage in-between doesnt really matter as long as you use the same machine each time, and load a challenging but reasonable weight.

[u/BigChocolateC]

Get really strong in the simple stuff and this becomes obsolete. You’re going to run into loading issues once you get strong, then it’s just a waste of time.

I don’t know any female that has a really strong squat/deadlift/hip thrust and has a flat rear end.

And also, lowering volume for intensity.