Kicks Leg Bent
Kicks Leg Bent Exercise Description
Kicks Leg Bent is a bodyweight hip-extension drill performed on hands and knees with the working knee kept flexed about 90 degrees. It targets the gluteus maximus as the primary mover while the gluteus medius/minimus and deep hip stabilizers help keep the pelvis level. Because the knee stays bent, hamstring contribution is reduced, encouraging emphasis on hip extension from the glutes. The trunk musculature (abdominals and spinal extensors) works isometrically to maintain a neutral spine, and the shoulder girdle stabilizers support the torso. The goal is smooth, controlled hip motion without lumbar extension or pelvic rotation. This makes the exercise a clear way to practice lumbopelvic control and glute activation using only body weight.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Kicks Leg Bent Exercise
‘- Start in quadruped: hands under shoulders, knees under hips, fingers spread, neck long, gaze down.
– Find a neutral spine; lightly brace your abdominal wall as if preparing for a gentle cough.
– Keep both knees on the floor; choose one leg to work while keeping the knee bent ~90 degrees.
– Without shifting your weight or rotating the pelvis, drive the heel of the working leg toward the ceiling by extending at the hip.
– Keep the knee angle constant and the toes pulled toward the shin; move only from the hip.
– Stop when your thigh is roughly in line with your torso, before the low back arches or ribs flare.
– Briefly hold the top position with level hips and a quiet lower back.
– Lower the knee back to the floor under control, maintaining your brace and neutral spine.
– Keep shoulders stable: press the floor away, elbows soft, shoulder blades gently retracted and depressed.
– Breathe steadily; exhale as the hip extends, inhale as you return.
– Common form checks: hips square to the floor, no lumbar sway, no head craning up, no knee angle change.
– Switch sides and repeat with the same attention to alignment and control.
Kicks Leg Bent Tips
‘- Set up in quadruped with hands under shoulders, knees under hips, fingers spread, and gaze down.
– Keep your neck long and head from craning up to help maintain a neutral spine.
– Lightly brace your abdominal wall as if preparing for a gentle cough to find and keep neutral.
– Avoid shifting your weight or rotating your pelvis as you lift the working leg.
– Drive the heel toward the ceiling by extending at the hip while keeping the knee bent about 90 degrees.
– Keep the knee angle constant and toes pulled toward the shin so the motion comes only from the hip.
– Stop the lift when your thigh is roughly in line with your torso, before your low back arches or ribs flare.
– Briefly hold the top position with hips level and a “quiet” lower back before lowering.
– Lower the knee back to the floor under control while maintaining your brace and neutral spine.
– Press the floor away with soft elbows and gently retracted, depressed shoulder blades to stabilize the shoulders.
Kicks Leg Bent Beginner Introduction
Kicks Leg Bent is a floor-based, bodyweight move that highlights controlled hip extension in an all-fours position. One leg works at a time with the knee held in a bent shape, so the effort shifts more toward the glutes around the back of the hip rather than the back of the thigh. The motion comes from the hip driving the leg upward while the rest of the body stays steady, creating a clear feeling of the working side glute powering the lift.
Throughout the drill, the core and lower back hold the spine steady without visible movement, while the shoulders and upper back provide a solid base for the torso. The emphasis stays on level hips, a quiet lower back, and a smooth path of the thigh in line with the body instead of arching through the spine or twisting through the pelvis. This makes the exercise a useful option for learning precise hip movement, reinforcing strong glutes, and refining coordination between the hips, spine, and core using only body weight.