Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male) vs Curtsey Squat: Complete Comparison Guide

Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male) vs Curtsey Squat puts two glute-focused, body-weight compounds head-to-head. You’ll get clear technique cues, the biomechanics behind why each hits the glutes differently, rep ranges and progressions, plus who should prioritize which move. Read on to learn how hip joint angles, force vectors, and muscle length-tension affect activation, how to cue each move for safer loading, and practical sets and rep ranges so you can choose the exercise that matches your strength, mobility, and training goals.

Similarity Score: 90%

Exercise A

Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)

Target Glutes

Equipment Body-weight

Body Part Upper-legs

Difficulty Intermediate

Movement Compound

Secondary Muscles

Hamstrings Quadriceps Calves

Exercise B

Curtsey Squat

Target Glutes

Equipment Body-weight

Body Part Upper-legs

Difficulty Beginner

Movement Compound

Secondary Muscles

Quadriceps Hamstrings Calves

Attribute	Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)	Curtsey Squat
Target Muscle	Glutes	Glutes
Body Part	Upper-legs	Upper-legs
Equipment	Body-weight	Body-weight
Difficulty	Intermediate	Beginner
Movement Type	Compound	Compound
Secondary Muscles	3	3

Secondary Muscles Activated

Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)

Hamstrings Quadriceps Calves

Curtsey Squat

Quadriceps Hamstrings Calves

Visual Comparison

Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)

Curtsey Squat

Key Differences

Difficulty levels differ: Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male) is intermediate, while Curtsey Squat is beginner.
Both exercises target the Glutes using Body-weight. The main differences are in their movement patterns and muscle activation angles.

Pros & Cons

Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)

+ Pros

Strong posterior chain and hamstring emphasis through a longer stretch–shortening cycle
Improves hip hinge control and rotational mobility
Great for building eccentric tolerance in glute max
No equipment and dynamic enough for conditioning

− Cons

Higher coordination and mobility demands for safe execution
Greater lumbar flexion risk if performed with poor technique
Harder to progressively overload with heavy external load

Curtsey Squat

+ Pros

Beginner-friendly pattern with clear step-back path (~45°)
Easily loaded with dumbbells or kettlebell for progressive overload
Strong glute medius activation for hip stability
Lower technical barrier—quick to teach and cue

− Cons

Less posterior chain eccentric stretch compared to hinge-based moves
Can drive knee valgus if hip control is weak
Single-direction movement; less rotational/core challenge

When Each Exercise Wins

For muscle hypertrophy: Curtsey Squat

Curtsey Squats allow consistent time-under-tension in an 8–15 rep range and are easy to load progressively with dumbbells or a kettlebell. The controlled eccentric-to-concentric squat vector targets both gluteus maximus and quads, making it efficient for muscle growth.

For strength gains: Curtsey Squat

Curtsey Squats scale simply with external load, making them ideal for progressive overload and unilateral strength balance. Adding 3–5% bodyweight increments or holding a 10–30 lb weight increases force demands without changing technique.

For beginners: Curtsey Squat

Curtsey Squats have a lower coordination requirement and clearer alignment cues (knee over mid-foot, 45° step), so novices can adopt safe mechanics and build hip stability fast with less mobility needed.

For home workouts: Curtsey Squat

Both are body-weight, but Curtsey Squats are simpler to perform in small spaces and can be made more challenging with household weights. Their lower mobility demand and easier progressions make them the pragmatic home choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I do both Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male) and Curtsey Squat in the same workout?

Yes—you can pair them. Use Curtsey Squats early in the session for heavier sets (3–4 sets of 8–12) and add Arms Apart as a posterior-chain finisher (2–3 sets of 10–15, slower eccentrics) to target different length-tension profiles and mobility.

Which exercise is better for beginners?

Curtsey Squat is better for beginners because it has a simpler movement pattern and lower mobility demand. Start with body-weight reps focused on hip alignment and progress to loaded variations once you can maintain knee tracking.

How do the muscle activation patterns differ?

Curtsey Squat emphasizes gluteus medius and quadriceps via a frontal-plane, adduction-biased vector with steady concentric drive. Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch increases gluteus maximus and hamstring eccentric loading through greater hip flexion angles and hinge mechanics, raising posterior chain recruitment at longer muscle lengths.

Can Curtsey Squat replace Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male)?

Curtsey Squat can replace Arms Apart for general glute development and progressive overload, but it won’t fully replicate the hinge-driven eccentric stress and rotational/core demand of Arms Apart. If you want both posterior chain lengthening and hip stability, include both in rotation.

Expert Verdict

Choose Curtsey Squats when you want a reliable, scalable glute-building exercise that’s easy to teach, load, and use in 8–15 rep hypertrophy blocks or heavier strength sets. Prioritize strict knee tracking and a 45° back-step to protect the joint. Use Arms Apart Circular Toe Touch (male) when your goal is posterior chain conditioning, eccentric strength, and improved hinge mechanics—include it for dynamic warm-ups or as a supplemental posterior-chain finisher (8–12 controlled reps, 2–3 second eccentrics). If you must pick one for most trainees, Curtsey Squat wins for accessibility and progressive overload.

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