Flutter Kick

How to do the Flutter Kick

1. Lie flat on your back with legs extended and place your hands under your glutes or flat by your sides for support.
2. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground and raise both legs approximately six inches above the floor.
3. Keep one leg at the starting height while raising the other leg to about a 45-degree angle.
4. Lower the raised leg as you simultaneously lift the opposite leg, alternating in a continuous, controlled rhythm.
5. Maintain tension in your core throughout and continue the alternating pattern for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Form tips

• Press your lower back into the floor throughout the movement to prevent arching and ensure your abs stay engaged.
• Keep your legs straight with only a slight bend in the knees to maximize abdominal activation and maintain proper form.
• Use small, controlled kicks rather than large swinging motions to keep constant tension on the core muscles.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back off the floor: this shifts tension away from the abs and can strain the lumbar spine.
• Kicking with too large a range of motion: this reduces time under tension for the abs and turns the movement into a hip flexor exercise.
• Holding your breath during the set: this reduces core stability and makes it harder to maintain proper spinal position.

Sets and reps

Perform 3 to 4 sets of 20 to 40 reps for muscular endurance, or 2 to 3 sets of 40 to 60 reps when training for higher-volume abdominal conditioning.

Frequently asked questions

Should I count each leg kick separately or together as one rep?

Count each individual leg raise as one rep, so a left kick is one rep and a right kick is another rep. This method provides clearer tracking and matches how most lifters log the movement.

Why does my lower back hurt during flutter kicks?

Lower back pain typically occurs when your lumbar spine arches off the floor, shifting load from your abs to your back. Focus on pressing your lower back flat into the ground and consider reducing leg height or bending your knees slightly until your core strength improves.

How do flutter kicks compare to other ab exercises for building core strength?

Flutter kicks emphasize abdominal endurance and hip flexor engagement more than maximal strength development. They work well as a finishing movement or for higher-rep conditioning but should be combined with loaded exercises like planks or cable crunches for complete core development.

More core exercises

• Bear Plank Shoulder TapCore · Bodyweight
• Bicycle CrunchCore · Bodyweight
• Bird DogCore · Bodyweight
• Copenhagen PlankCore · Bodyweight
• CrunchCore · Bodyweight
• Dead BugCore · Bodyweight