Flutter Kicks
Flutter Kicks Exercise Description
Flutter Kicks are a bodyweight floor exercise that dynamically trains the hip flexors while your trunk stabilizes the pelvis and lumbar spine. Performed supine with the legs extended, you alternate lifting one leg as the other hovers, maintaining steady control rather than speed. Primary movers are the iliopsoas and rectus femoris; the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis work isometrically to resist lumbar extension and keep the pelvis level. Because the movement uses a small, controlled range with straight (or softly bent) knees, it emphasizes endurance and lumbopelvic control without external load. This drill is commonly used to reinforce hip flexion mechanics relevant to activities like running and kicking while teaching you to keep the trunk stable as the legs move.
- Muscle Groups: Hips, Quads
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris
- Assisting Muscles: Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Flexors, Knee Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Front Quad, Hip Flexor
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Flutter Kicks Exercise
‘- Lie supine on a mat; arms by your sides with palms down or hands gently under the sacrum for support.
– Brace by drawing the ribs down; maintain a neutral spine and level pelvis.
– Extend the knees comfortably and lift both heels a few inches off the floor.
– Keep head on the floor, chin lightly tucked, shoulders relaxed.
– Raise one leg to a modest angle as the other hovers just off the floor.
– Alternate legs in a smooth, continuous “flutter,” controlling both the up and down phases.
– Use a small-to-moderate range you can hold without your low back arching; raise the legs higher if needed to stay stable.
– Keep hips quiet (no rocking) and knees mostly straight without locking.
– Maintain neutral ankles; avoid excessive toe-pointing that encourages knee locking.
– Breathe steadily throughout; to finish, lower both legs together with control.
Flutter Kicks Tips
‘- Place arms by your sides with palms down, or gently support the sacrum with your hands as you lie supine.
– Brace by drawing the ribs down to help maintain a neutral spine and level pelvis.
– Lift both heels only a few inches off the floor before starting the leg alternation.
– Keep your head on the floor with a light chin tuck and relaxed shoulders.
– Alternate the legs with steady control rather than speed, smoothing out both the up and down phases.
– Use a small-to-moderate range that you can hold without your low back arching; raise the legs slightly higher if needed to stay stable.
– Keep the hips “quiet” so the pelvis doesn’t rock as the legs move.
– Extend the knees mostly straight without locking them.
– Maintain neutral ankles and avoid excessive toe-pointing that might encourage the knees to lock.
– Breathe steadily throughout, and finish by lowering both legs together with control.
Flutter Kicks Beginner Introduction
Flutter Kicks are a floor-based bodyweight movement built around alternating leg lifts while the torso stays steady against the ground. The exercise takes place lying on the back with the legs long, with one heel rising slightly higher as the other remains close to the floor in a gentle, continuous rhythm. The emphasis is on smooth, deliberate motion rather than rushing, so the legs move in a controlled “flutter” while the middle of the body remains calm and stable.
This pattern mainly challenges the hip flexors and front thighs, while the abs, side abs, and deep core muscles work together to keep the lower back from arching and the hips from tipping. Because the legs move through a relatively small arc without added weight, the drill suits longer sets that build stamina and reinforce steady core support. It is often included in programs that aim to sharpen hip-driving action for activities such as running or kicking, while encouraging strong coordination between the legs and the trunk.