Will always humble me 😭😭🤣
FitByRune
Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from FitByRune, Personal trainer, New York, NY.
👉Evidence-Based Coach for REAL Results
🏋️♂️Grow Glutes, Build Muscle, Lose Fat
🎓BSc Exercise Science📍NYC • 6’2 / 240lb
⇣ 1-1 Online Coaching
https://form.typeform.com/to/zjomrJDP
08/12/2026
👇 FULL GLUTE KICKBACK GUIDE HERE
These are 4 different kickback variations I like:
1️⃣ Glute Kickback Machine
2️⃣ Standing Cable Kickback
3️⃣ Glute Max Pressback
4️⃣ Smith Donkey Kick
They all train hip extension and your glutes, but each one gives you something a little different.
Some give you more stability.
Some give you more freedom to adjust the movement.
And the Glute Max Pressback is especially different because you can actually move into hip flexion first and get a much bigger stretch before pressing back 🍑
That doesn’t mean one is automatically better than the others.
The goal is to pick a variation that feels good, lets you control the movement, and keeps the glute as the limiting factor instead of your balance or low back.
Swipe for the details, cues, and how I’d use each one 👉
Pick 1–2 that fit your program, train them close to failure with controlled reps, and stick with them long enough to actually progress.
Save this for your next glute day ✅🍑
Comment PLAN and I’ll send you a free glute workout with the full exercises, sets + reps 👊
1️⃣ Glute Kickback Machine
This is probably the most supported option of the four.
Because your body is stabilized by the machine, there’s very little balance involved, which makes it easier to focus on the working glute and push the set hard.
Why I like it:
✅ very stable
✅ easy to control
✅ easy to push close to failure
✅ minimal setup once you’re in position
❌ Some machines have limited range of motion and might not fit all heights
I’d usually do:
2–4 sets
10–20 reps per side
Close to failure
Main cues:
– Keep your hips square
– Drive through the working hip
– Don’t rotate just to get higher
– Control the lowering
– Don’t finish the rep with your low back
2️⃣ Standing Cable Kickback
This is the classic.
It’s simple, easy to set up, and gives you more freedom to adjust your body position and the direction you kick.
That freedom can be really useful because you can play around with your stance and torso angle until you find the position where you feel the glute best.
Why I like it:
✅ simple setup
✅ very adjustable
✅ easy to use almost anywhere
08/05/2026
👇 STEAL THE FULL ARM WORKOUT HERE
With one cable station, you can train your biceps and triceps through different positions and give each exercise a clear role instead of doing four random curl and extension variations.
This workout includes:
1️⃣ Rope Triceps Pushdown
2️⃣ Overhead Cable Triceps Extension
3️⃣ Cable Hammer Curl
4️⃣ Bayesian Cable Curl
The pushdown gives you stable triceps work with your arms by your sides, while the overhead extension trains the triceps in a more lengthened position.
For biceps, the hammer curl adds neutral-grip work for your brachialis, brachioradialis, and biceps, while the Bayesian curl lets you train with your arm behind your body and get a strong stretch at the bottom.
Swipe for the details, cues, rep recommendations, and how I’d use each one 👉
You can perform all four as a complete cable arm workout, or add 1–2 of them to the end of an upper-body session.
The main thing is to keep the reps controlled, train close to failure, and stick with the exercises long enough to actually progress.
Save this for your next arm day ✅
Comment PLAN if you want to try my full routine free for 7 days 👊
1️⃣ Cable Hammer Curl
The neutral grip trains the biceps along with the brachialis and brachioradialis, making this a great option for overall arm thickness.
The cable also keeps tension on the movement and makes it easy to train one arm at a time.
How I’d use it:
✅ 2–4 sets
✅ 8–15 reps per side
✅ controlled lowering
Cues:
– Keep a neutral grip
– Keep the upper arm mostly still
– Curl without swinging
– Don’t let the shoulder roll forward
– Control the weight back down
You can keep the elbow beside your body or slightly behind it depending on the setup and where the curl feels best.
2️⃣ Overhead Cable Triceps Extension
The overhead position places the long head of the triceps in a more lengthened position.
That makes this a great complement to pushdowns because you’re training the triceps with the shoulder in a completely different position.
How I’d use it:
✅ 2–4 sets
✅ 10–20 reps
✅ controlled stretch on every rep
Cues:
– Keep your elbows generally pointed forward
– Let the
The double scoop of pre probably didn’t help either 💀
👇 SAVE THIS FULL SMITH DONKEY KICK GUIDE
Cable kickbacks are great, but this Smith donkey kick is another a little more advanced option when you want a more stable and loadable glute isolation exercise 🍑
Because the bar moves along a fixed path, you don’t have to control a cable pulling you in a different direction. You can focus on driving through the heel, extending the hip, and pushing the working glute close to failure.
I love this one because it’s not only more stable, easier to feel, but easier to progressively overload.
How to do it:
1️⃣ Secure the bar
HACK: use an ankle strap to secure the bar so it can’t rotate into the hooks, auto-lock, or wiggle while you’re doing the exercise.
Exactly how you attach it may depend on the Smith machine, but make sure the bar feels completely secure before placing your heel underneath it.
2️⃣ Set a bench on a low incline
Place the bench in front of the Smith machine so you have something stable to lean against.
3️⃣ Lean onto your forearms
Use the bench for support so you can keep your torso stable and focus on the working glute.
4️⃣ Place your heel under the bar
Keep your knee bent and position your heel securely under the bar before starting.
5️⃣ Keep your hips square
Don’t rotate your body or open your hip just to push the bar higher.
6️⃣ Kick up and slightly back
Drive through your heel and extend your hip until you feel the glute fully contract.
7️⃣ Lower slowly and stay controlled
Don’t let the bar drop. Control the lowering and keep tension on the glute throughout the rep.
I’d usually keep these around:
✅ 2–4 sets
✅ 12–20 reps per side
✅ close to failure
✅ controlled on the way down
Start lighter than you think.
The setup can feel awkward at first, so make sure the bench, bar pad, ankle strap, safety stops, and bar are all secure before adding more weight.
And don’t force the bar higher by arching your lower back. The glute should finish the rep, not your spine.
Save this for your next glute day ✅🍑
Comment PLAN and I’ll send you a full glute workout 🦾🔥
07/30/2026
👇 FULL SMITH PRESS GUIDE HERE
The Smith machine can be used for more than one type of press.
By changing the bench from flat to upright, you gradually change how much emphasis goes toward your chest, upper chest, front delts, and triceps.
That doesn’t mean one angle completely isolates one muscle.
Your chest, shoulders, and triceps will still work across all four. The angle simply shifts the emphasis.
Swipe to see the main differences between:
1️⃣ 0° Flat Smith Press
2️⃣ 30° Low-Incline Smith Press
3️⃣ 45° High-Incline Smith Press
4️⃣ Upright Smith Shoulder Press
Save this for your next push day ✅
Comment PLAN if you want to try my full routine free for 7 days 👊
1️⃣ Flat Smith Press
This is your overall chest-focused Smith press.
The flat bench creates a horizontal pressing pattern that trains the chest, front delts, and triceps, with more overall chest emphasis than the steeper variations.
Why I like it:
✅ stable setup
✅ easy to load and progress
✅ less balance needed than a barbell press
✅ good for hard sets close to failure
The Smith machine also lets you focus more on pressing instead of balancing the bar, but you still need to position the bench correctly under the bar path.
Programming idea:
2–4 sets of 6–12 reps
Main cues:
• Keep your upper back tight
• Lower under control
• Keep your forearms reasonably vertical
• Don’t bounce the bar
• Press without letting your shoulders roll forward
2️⃣ 30° Low-Incline Smith Press
This is a good choice when the goal is more upper-chest emphasis while still keeping the exercise chest-dominant.
The incline changes the pressing direction, but it isn’t so steep that the front delts completely start taking over. Also good if higher incline bothers your shoulders.
Why I like it:
✅ strong upper-chest emphasis
✅ still feels like a chest press
✅ stable and easy to progress
✅ good middle ground between flat and high incline
Programming idea:
2–4 sets of 6–15 reps
Main cues:
• Set the bench around 30°
• Keep your chest up without overarching
• Lower toward the upper chest
• Keep elbows in a comfortable position
• Control the stretch before pressing
3️⃣ 4
Lifting the same weight since 2015 🥹🤣
07/19/2026
👇 FULL SQUAT GUIDE HERE
Smith machine squats, barbell back squats, hack squats, and goblet squats can all build your legs 🦵
They train many of the same muscles, but they don’t place the same demands on your body.
The biggest differences are:
✅ how much stability you get
✅ how freely your body can move
✅ how much your balance and trunk are involved
✅ how easily you can add load
✅ what is most likely to limit the set
None of these is automatically better for muscle growth.
The best squat is usually one that:
✅ fits your body
✅ gives you a good range of motion
✅ feels stable enough to train hard
✅ can be progressed over time
✅ doesn’t create unnecessary pain or discomfort
You also don’t need all 4 in the same program.
Swipe to learn more about each one 👉
Pick 1–2 squat variations that complement the rest of your lower-body training, stick with them long enough to improve, and focus on adding reps, load, range, or better control over time.
Save this for your next leg day ✅
Comment PLAN if you want to try my full routine free for 7 days 👊
1️⃣ Goblet Swuat
The goblet squat is simple, accessible, and usually easy to learn making it a great beginner exercise too.
Because the weight is held in front, it can help you stay more upright and make it easier to control your position and therefore leas stress on your spine.
It’s a great option for:
✅ learning squat technique
✅ training without a rack
✅ heel-elevated quad-focused squats
✅ moderate and higher-rep leg work
The main limitation is loadability.
As you get stronger, holding the dumbbell may become harder than the squat itself. At that point, your arms or upper body may fail before your legs.
Programming idea:
2–4 sets of 8–20 reps, depending on the variation and available weight. I like to go a little lighter on these and do more high rep, maybe towards the end of my workout.
2️⃣ Barbell Back Squat
The barbell back squat gives you more freedom to move, but it also asks more from your balance, coordination, trunk, and technique.
That makes it a great option for:
✅ building max squat strength
✅ loading the entire lower body
✅ improving bracing and control
✅ peopl
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