Butt Kicks Exercise: How to Do Butt Kicks With Proper Form

Butt kicks, also known as butt kickers, are a type of plyometric exercise designed to activate your lower-body muscles. Although the butt kick exercise is useful within a dynamic running drill routine, it also works well as a stand-alone bodyweight exercise. Practice butt kicks by lifting one heel up toward your glutes, gently placing that foot back on the ground, and repeating the movement with your other leg.

There are several benefits to regularly practicing butt kick exercises.

1. 1. Butt kicks activate muscles throughout your lower body. The butt kick exercise works lower-body muscles like the hip flexors, quadriceps, hamstring muscles, and glute muscles.
2. 2. Butt kicks are an effective cardiovascular exercise. When performed quickly, the butt kick exercise can raise your heart rate and act as a useful cardio workout.
3. 3. Butt kicks are a versatile bodyweight exercise. Butt kicks are an easy exercise to incorporate into your home workout routine.
4. 4. Butt kicks can improve performance during other cardiovascular exercises. With practice, butt kicks can improve your running form by strengthening your legs, improving your balance, and providing a dynamic stretch for your quads. Consider using butt kicks as a quick warm-up exercise before a run.

Start with three to five sets, repeating the butt kick movement pattern for fifteen to thirty seconds at a time. Choose a length of time or number of repetitions that will allow you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and reps.

1. 1. Stand in a starting position with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Your shoulders should be directly over your hips with a neutral head and neck position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin.
2. 2. Engage your core and lift your right heel off the floor toward your glutes. Place the ball of your right foot back onto the ground. Keep your arms by your sides with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. 3. Repeat this movement with your left foot, raising it toward your glutes and then returning it gently to the ground.
4. 4. Continue alternating your feet with this movement pattern back and forth. Once you’re comfortable with the movement, speed up the pace until it feels like you are jogging in place. Remember to land gently on the balls of your feet with every repetition.

Once you’ve mastered the traditional butt kick exercise, consider trying one of these challenging variations.

1. 1. High-knee butt kicks: Perform this exercise by alternating repetitions of butt kicks with high-knee exercises to activate even more muscles across your lower body.
2. 2. Weighted butt kicks: Hold a pair of dumbbells during your butt kicks to activate your arm muscles even more during the movement pattern.
3. 3. Moving butt kicks: For an added boost of cardio, include an upper-body movement by punching your right arm forward as you lift your left heel and your left arm as you lift your right heel. You can also elevate your cardio workout by moving forward in a slow jog as you perform butt kicks.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.