# Butt Kicks: how to do it

- Main muscles: cardio, hamstrings
- Also works: calves
- Equipment: bodyweight
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/butt_kicks/ab8d95a92c/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your elbows bent.
2. Jog on the spot and flick one heel up towards your bottom.
3. Keep that knee pointing at the floor, then swap legs straight away.
4. Pump your arms and keep a steady, light rhythm.

## Cues

- Heels to your bottom.
- Knees point down at the floor.
- Stay light on the balls of your feet.

## Common mistakes

- Knees drifting forward: keep each thigh under your hip as the heel comes up.
- Leaning forward: keep your chest up and your shoulders over your hips.
- Short heel kicks: slow down and let each heel come close to your bottom.

## The version in our demo

Jogging on the spot, flicking each heel up towards the buttock with the thigh staying close to vertical, arms pumping. This is the common warm-up version (ACE runs it at a light jogging pace); the walking version with hands behind the buttocks is a slower teaching drill.

## Starting position

Standing tall, feet hip width apart (15–20 cm), weight on the balls of the feet, knees soft (about 10° flexion). Torso upright, eyes forward. Elbows bent about 90°, hands relaxed at the sides.

## The movement

Push off the left forefoot while bending the right knee so the right heel travels up and back towards the right buttock; the right knee points at the floor and stays under the hip. Let the right foot drop and land on the forefoot under the hip as the left heel flicks up. The heel moves in a tight arc behind the body. Arms pump in opposition (right heel up, left hand forward). The pelvis, torso and head stay level; the body stays on one spot.

## Breathing

Easy, rhythmic breaths in time with the steps.

## Form in numbers

- Kicking thigh stays near vertical: hip flexion 0–15° at the top, knee pointing down, not forward.
- Arms: elbows held at about 90°; hands swing from the hip to chest height in front.
- Torso upright, within 5° of vertical.

## Sources

1. [ACE, "The Dynamic Warm-up Every Runner Should Try"](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/pros/expert-articles/3813/the-dynamic-warm-up-every-runner-should-try/)
2. [Physitrack, "Buttock kicks walk (exercise video)"](https://ie.physitrack.com/home-exercise-video/buttock-kicks-walk)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/butt-kicks