90 To 90 Knee Thrust
90 To 90 Knee Thrust Exercise Description
The 90 to 90 Knee Thrust is a floor-based hip rotation drill with an added active knee lift to challenge hip flexion strength and control. You move between the classic seated 90/90 positions—one hip in external rotation, the other in internal rotation—while keeping a tall, neutral spine. At each side, you briefly drive the front knee upward, emphasizing hip flexors (e.g., iliopsoas and rectus femoris) working alongside the deep hip rotators and gluteal musculature. The goal is smooth, controlled motion from the hips with minimal movement through the lumbar spine. This bodyweight exercise reinforces rotational control, pelvic stability, and upright posture through the transition. Alternate sides each repetition, maintaining deliberate tempo and consistent joint angles within a comfortable, pain‑free range.
- Muscle Groups: Hips
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major
- Assisting Muscles: Rectus Femoris, Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Gluteus Medius, Multifidus, Piriformis, 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
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Hip Flexor
- Movement Direction: Rotational
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The 90 To 90 Knee Thrust Exercise
‘- Sit tall on the floor with both hips and knees bent about 90 degrees; ribs stacked over pelvis.
– Set the “front” leg in external rotation (knee forward, shin across), and the “back” leg in internal rotation (knee out to the side).
– Dorsiflex both ankles lightly; keep a neutral spine and level pelvis. Use fingertip support if needed.
– Pivot through the hips to switch sides: sweep both knees through center while keeping heels in contact, arriving in the opposite 90/90.
– At your end position, square the torso over the front thigh without rounding the low back.
– Perform the knee thrust: lift the front knee upward by flexing at the hip (the foot may leave the floor). Move from the hip—avoid leaning back or twisting the trunk.
– Pause briefly, then lower the knee with control to the 90/90 position.
– Keep the back-leg knee gently rooted to the floor for stability as you lift the front knee.
– Rotate through center to the other side and repeat, alternating.
– Cues to maintain: smooth breathing, tall posture, knees and hips near 90°, motion driven by the hips rather than the lumbar spine.
90 To 90 Knee Thrust Tips
‘- Sit tall with your ribs stacked over your pelvis to keep a neutral spine.
– Keep both hips and knees bent around 90 degrees as you move between positions.
– Lightly dorsiflex both ankles to help maintain your lower-leg position.
– Keep your pelvis level; use fingertip support on the floor if you need extra balance.
– When switching sides, pivot from the hips and sweep both knees through center while keeping your heels in contact with the floor.
– At the end of the rotation, square your torso over the front thigh without rounding your low back.
– In the knee thrust, lift the front knee by flexing at the hip and avoid leaning back or twisting your trunk.
– Pause briefly at the top of the knee lift, then lower the knee back down with control.
– Keep the back-leg knee gently rooted to the floor to create stability as you lift the front knee.
– Maintain smooth breathing, tall posture, and hip-driven motion with minimal lumbar movement as you alternate sides at a deliberate tempo.
90 To 90 Knee Thrust Beginner Introduction
The 90 to 90 Knee Thrust is a bodyweight floor exercise that links hip rotation with an active leg lift. The mover shifts between seated 90/90 positions, where one leg is turned outward and the other inward at the hip, then briefly lifts the front knee on each side. Throughout, the spine stays upright and steady so the action centers on the hips rather than the lower back.
This drill highlights the hip flexors at the front of the hips and thighs, working together with the deep muscles around the hips and the glutes. Because the legs rotate from side to side while the torso remains tall, it emphasizes control through the pelvis, smooth transitions, and consistent joint positioning. The movement can help build awareness of how the hips rotate and lift independently of the trunk, encouraging cleaner rotation, better seated posture, and more precise leg motion, all within a range that feels manageable and free of discomfort.