You can strengthen your lower core significantly if you know how to do flutter kicks correctly.

Runners and swimmers include them in their workout regime for conditioning. If you don’t flutter kick regularly, you should read the rest of the article.

If you think they are putting a strain on your back, then there are little adjustments needed. Read along to know the tips and techniques on how to do flutter kicks correctly.

What are Flutter Kicks?

A series of quick leg movements up and down.

The usual way of doing them is by lying on your back. However, there are other variations to Flutter Kicks as well, which we will discuss later.

We will look at a more active and conventional way of doing them and how to do them right.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Any exercise done wrong will lead to injury.

They will cause you back pain if you do them with an improper technique.

Here is the step-by-step way:

Lie on your back on the floor. (Place a yoga mat if you want) Make a fist and keep them in between your glutes and lower back for a slight lift Raise your legs about 5 inches off the ground and keep them straight. While keeping your legs straight, raise a leg higher while lowering the other. For general practice, keep three movements count as one flutter or rep.

Best Tips

Straining your back with improper technique is easy.

Here are some tips to improve your form and execute an effective workout session.

Raise your head little higher above the ground. Adjust your hands to find a sweet spot for your comfort. Tighten your abs. Place a yoga mat underneath Be mindful of your movements

Reps & Sets

They are usually done while warming up, in a circuit workout routine and even when you are bored. So it depends how much reps and sets you should do.

How to count reps:

Move your legs three times, count 1 2 3, and complete one rep.

For instance, 1 2 3 = 1 rep, 1 2 3 = 2 rep and so on..

Here are some suggestions:

Warming-Up

2 Sets are good enough for a warm-up,

10 Reps with lower intensity Take a 15 seconds break 10 Reps with medium intensity

Circuit Training

Start your sets after 30 seconds of rest on your lower core and quads.

3 Sets of 12-15 Reps

Medium Intensity-High Intensity

10-15 Seconds Rest

The workout varies depending on your fitness level. You can judge a suitable number of sets and reps for yourself when you start doing it regularly.

Muscles Worked

Strengthen your lower core and upper legs with flutter kicks.

Primary muscle worked: Lower abs, hip flexors, and quads

Secondary muscles worked: Oblique (side abs), hamstring, and lower back

Here is a chart to understand all the muscle used and worked:

11 Benefits

Flutter Kicks are one of the most potent workouts you can do.

It targets your core, legs, and back. Sculpting all these areas can significantly improve your fitness level.

Let’s see how..

Here are 11 benefits of doing them:

1. Strengthens your core

They primarily target your lower core. Continuous work on the area strengthens it efficiently.

It does in the manner of your walk. However, the difference is you are not impacting your lower legs and feet, instead using the core to make that motion.

2. Tones lower body

When it comes to losing weight and sculpting your body, toning is an essential element in it. Repetitive motion works the lower legs and rightly tones them. Losing fat and strengthening their limbs is what athletes look for when getting their fitness back.

3. Cardio workout

Just like walking, these are cardio-like. If the reason for your cardio is to lose belly fat, then flutter kicks can do a lot better job.

4. Burns calories

You can lose a lot more calories. If you keep in medium-high intensity, shorter bursts can do a lot more than your walk or jog.

5. Burns belly fat

Not many workouts target your lower body. puts you in a position where you have to use your lower body to get it right. The last thing that keeps you away from a six-pack ab is your belly fat.

6. Six packs

After all your hard work in ab workouts, but you are wondering what’s keeping you away from the six packer. It’s the lower fat which needs to be primarily targeted and you get that with flutter kicks.

7. Builds endurance

Endurance is consistent resistance against something. It prepares your middle part to stand long hours of movement.

8. Improves posture

A strengthened core will take lots of pressure of your back and make you stand straight. You can keep a better posture for more extended hours and never complain about the back pain.

9. Relieves back pain

Never worry about the back pain. Flutter Kick strengthens your core to take load of your back. In the process, it also strengthens your back.

10. Flexibility

Everyday work requires you to be flexible, from picking up something while bending to working out at the gym. It target the essential part of your body to help you execute the daily tasks with ease.

11. Stronger Legs

Strengthening, endurance, toning and fat burning – all lead to stronger legs. They are great for swimmers, people who go to gym, runners and any athlete looking to excel at their sport.

How It Improves Swimming?

They are an excellent workout for swimmers.

Swimming requires lots of flutter kicking is swimming styles such as freestyle and backstroke.

Even when kids are taught swimming, they are asked to hold the rail and flutter for stronger legs and improving technique.

There are two ways in which they help swimmers.

Propulsion: It provide extra push for swimmers which they constantly need to move faster. Stability: It offer stability for the swimmers to keep their balance while stroking their arms through the water.

Variations

Flutter Kicks has various similar exercises which target different muscle parts with different intensity.

1. Reverse Flutter Kicks

Reverse flutter kicks are done facing down usually on a bench or higher surface. It has more or less the similar impact as the normal ones.

2. Scissor Kicks

Scissor Kicks require little more elevation of your legs and are usually required for swimmers who are usually use side stroke technique.

3. Bicycle Kicks

Bicycle Kicks are bending your legs and bringing them closer to your body. More like riding a bicycle in the air.

4. Criss-cross kicks

Criss-cross kicks are moving the legs sideways and over lapping legs over another.

Frequently Asked Questions

We will try to cover all the workouts in our workout series. Stay tuned!