Legs · Bodyweight
Jackknife (Donkey) Squat
How to do the jackknife (donkey) squat, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set up on all fours with your hands planted and hips raised. Drive your hips back and up while keeping your arms long, folding your body at the hips, then return to the start. The movement loads the glutes and hamstrings through a deep hip bend.
- 1Glutes and hamstrings stretching and loading as your hips drive back
- 2A long spine and reaching arms throughout
- 3Hips leading the movement, not your lower back
Common mistakes
- Rounding your lower back as you fold at the hips
- Bending your knees instead of hinging at the hips
- Shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears
Muscles worked
The jackknife (donkey) squat mainly works the glutes and hamstrings, with the lower back, upper abs, and lower abs assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- LatsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- QuadsMinor
- CalvesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the jackknife (donkey) squat for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.