Core
Flutter kicks
- Kit
- No kit
- Works
- lower abs · hip flexors
- Also
- obliques · quads · front of the neck
Flutter kicks are a lying core hold where your legs alternate small up and down kicks while your lower back stays pressed to the floor. They build endurance in the lower abs and hip flexors and teach you to keep the ribs and pelvis locked together while the legs move. They suit anyone with floor space, and the height of your legs lets you scale the difficulty on the spot.
Form
How to do flutter kicks
- 1Lie on your back with your legs straight and your hands flat under your hips or by your sides. Tilt your pelvis so your lower back flattens into the floor.
- 2Lift both heels a hand's width off the ground, press your ribs down, and lift your head and shoulders slightly if that feels comfortable.
- 3Kick one leg up and the other down in a small, controlled range, keeping both knees straight and both heels off the floor throughout.
- 4Breathe steadily in a rhythm with the kicks. Do not hold your breath, since that is usually when the lower back lifts.
- 5Keep the pace even for the whole effort, then lower both legs and rest flat on the floor when the set ends.
Watch for
Common mistakes
The lower back arches off the floor and you feel the effort there instead of in the abs.
Fix: Raise your legs higher so they work through a shallower angle, and keep pressing your lower back down through every kick.
Kicking fast and wide so momentum does the work.
Fix: Shorten the range and slow the tempo so the abs stay loaded the whole time.
Pulling on the head or straining the neck to stay lifted.
Fix: Rest your head on the floor and keep your hands under your hips until the front of your neck can hold the position.
Variations
Easier and harder
Sessions
Put it in a workout
None of the fixed workouts uses it. Pick a workout for your kit, or start today's session on /gym.