Flutter Kicks for a Seriously Strong Core

While you may think of flutter kicks as a swimming exercise, this workout move isn’t just for the pool. Flutter kicks are a fantastic core exercise you can do on the floor with nothing more than a yoga mat beneath you. They’re a staple bodyweight exercise done in popular workout programs like Pilates, barre, and even strength training routines.

If you’re looking for a new ab-strengthening exercise that specifically targets your deep, lower abs and mobilizes your hips, it’s time to bring flutter kicks into the mix. Here’s how to execute the perfect set of flutter kicks at home with proper form—and its many real-world benefits for everyday movement.

What are flutter kicks?

Flutter kicks, also known as scissor kicks, are a low-impact core exercise designed to fire up your lower abdominal wall. Lying face-up on the floor on an exercise mat, you’ll engage your core, hover your legs off the floor while keeping your upper body still, and flutter your straight legs up and down as if you’re swimming on your back.

This simple yet effective workout can be completed in just a few minutes, but provides lasting benefits for core strength and stability. 

Benefits of flutter kicks

“Flutter kicks are an excellent way to strengthen the core, particularly the lower abdominals,” says Andrew White, NASM-certified personal trainer and co-founder of Garage Gym Pro. “They also contribute to improved endurance and coordination.”

White says flutter kicks target three main muscle groups in your core region: your rectus abdominis, obliques, and hip flexors. And if you properly engage your deep, deep core by lifting your pelvic floor and pulling your navel into your spine, you’ll also be strengthening your transverse abdominis, the innermost ab muscle that protects and supports your spine. These muscle groups contribute to core power, which is the foundation for proper posture, spinal and pelvic support, and better functional movement.

Since your core muscles essentially connect your lower and upper body, a strong core can help you with everyday tasks, such as bathing or dressing. It can also promote a healthy, pain-free back, balance and stability, and good posture. On the flip side, a weak or unbalanced core can make simple activities like standing much more difficult.

How to do flutter kicks

“Incorporating flutter kicks into your routine can offer varied benefits, from strengthening core muscles to improving hip mobility,” White says. “It’s important to perform them with proper form and to listen to your body’s cues.” This workout move is most effective as a controlled movement—here’s how to do flutter kicks correctly and effectively for a serious ab burn.

1. Lie on your back with arms by your sides or under your hips for lower back support (but keeping your palms under your hips or glutes can also make this exercise more challenging). 
2. Draw your belly button in toward your spine to engage your core. If you have shoulder pain, keep your head, neck and shoulders flat on the ground.
3. Raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat if you can, keeping your chin tucked in; press your lower back into the mat. (Alternatively, keep your upper body on the floor if that’s more comfortable.)
4. Lift your legs off the ground slightly and alternately scissor kick them up and down in a small range of motion.
5. For one set, either count your kicks (i.e., do a set of 20 flutter kicks), or perform the exercise for a set amount of time (i.e., do flutter kicks for 20 seconds).

You can change up the speed at which you flutter your legs—a faster speed can create more of a cardio-style workout. If you’re new to flutter kicks, start with a slower tempo and focus on core engagement and maintaining correct form throughout.

Modifications and variations

Flutter kicks can be modified to be easier or more challenging. 

Make them easier:

• Bend your legs. “If you find flutter kicks too challenging, you can bend your knees slightly,” White recommends. This modification can also be helpful for people with knee pain or knee injuries, as bending your knees can alleviate stress on the joints.
• Flutter your legs higher in the air. “You can make flutter kicks a little easier by leaving your head resting on the mat and lifting your legs higher,” says Tiffany Lankford, RDN, certified personal trainer and registered dietitian.

Make them harder:

• Hover your legs just above the floor. Do the opposite from above! Keep your legs straight and lower them toward the floor, as tolerated. “The lower your legs are, the more challenging they become,” Lankford says.
• Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the ground. To target your other ab muscles even further, try lifting your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, keeping your gaze straight ahead toward the ceiling (try not to bend your neck or look downward). 

Should anyone avoid flutter kicks?

Lankford recommends pregnant women avoid flutter kicks, since it’s important to avoid crunching and twisting ab movements throughout pregnancy. White suggests that people with low back pain or injuries avoid this exercise as well, until they’ve spoken to a physical therapist or other healthcare professional, or been shown proper modifications for their circumstances. If you’re unsure if flutter kicks are safe for you, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional.