'Stop doing crunches: I tried flutter kicks for a week, and the results surprised me!'

Features
By published

This deceptively pleasant-sounding move is a serious workout for the abs

a photo of a man doing flutter kicks
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

“Flutter kicks,” I thought, when my editor challenged me to take them on every day for a week. “Sounds floaty, airy, light, maybe even frothy” — adjectives that suggested a gentle way to start the exercise year. At the same time, however, the rational and — I must be honest — suspicious side of me was wondering: ‘Why would it be gentle? These things are never gentle. Wake up, dummy!’

I woke up. Fast.

What is it?

The flutter kick is, in terms of technique, an easy core move to perform. You lie on the ground, raise your straight legs about eight inches (some say more, but this is enough), and flutter them up and down, with your lower back pressed into the ground. Not too much to it, then, although “flutter” isn’t really what you’re doing with your legs. You’re just moving them. But that is by no means as easy as it sounds.

This is an immensely effective core exercise, especially for the lower core muscles, but it also, as I found, targets the rectus abdominus (six pack). That said, don’t go in to this or any other core exercise thinking you’ll soon be ready to show off your torso on the beach. Do them to improve stability, posture, and help prevent or relieve back pain.

A strong core is vital for good overall health; looking good on the beach is a bonus, if that’s what you’re after. Mind you, you’ll also need to eat well, do cardio work, and hope you have the right genes.

How do I do it

an illustration of a woman doing flutter kicks

(Image credit: Getty/Oleksii Bulgakov)
  • Lie on your back on a yoga mat (I do recommend a mat, as you’re going to be here for a while), arms by your side. Press your lower back into the floor. You may find it easier to do this if you raise your head and shoulders off the floor, tucking in your chin. If you do this, you can lace your hands behind your head.
  • Raise your straight legs about six to eight inches, keeping your lower back in contact with the floor.
  • Working one at a time, move your legs up and down in the air (in a sort of swimming motion), but don’t let your feet touch the floor. Your lower back should remain in contact with the floor throughout.
  • Use a timer and do the move for 20 seconds to begin with. Repeat three times.

I did the flutter kick every day for a week — and I felt it

As I noted above, this is not a difficult move in terms of technique, so I began my week buoyed up by my customary confidence. Instructions for this move often say you should move your legs swiftly up and down, and that’s how I did it on day one. I was unimpressed. For a moment after I’d finished, I thought I was doing it wrong, but if I couldn’t follow the instruction ‘move your legs up and down’, it was time to find a new line of work. So I slowed down the move, and that’s when things got interesting. By which I mean ‘very tough’.

Slowly does it

On day one, I did three sets of 30 seconds and was untroubled. Day one of these challenges is often difficult, so I found myself stroking my jaw contemplatively and, for emphasis, saying ‘Hmmm’. I’ve been doing a lot of sit-ups on a stability ball, as well as daily planks, so perhaps my core was so damned strong that a mere flutter kick was hardly worth the effort.

On day two, when I slowed down the move and did each set for 45 seconds, I was praying for it to end. There was actual grunting during the final 45 and I had to work hard to keep my heels from crashing onto the floor each time I lowered during the last 10. You will, I suspect, be tempted to bend your legs to make this move slightly easier. Resist!

I woke up on day three, and though I had done the move for less than two and a half minutes (with a much-needed 30 seconds of rest between sets), I felt it in my lower abs. This does not happen after the plank or sit-ups. But the lingering reminder of the effort made me sit taller at my desk, and I was generally more aware of my posture, which could be better. I felt that another thoughtful ‘Hmmm’ would have been overkill, so I settled for a ruminative ‘Well, well.’ The flutter kick had caught me by surprise.

a woman doing flutter kicks

(Image credit: Getty/Maridav)

Core values

There are many moves that work the lower core, including the hollow hold, dead bug, scissor kicks, and leg raises, and this is one to add to the list. And it doesn’t only challenge the lower core. By placing my hand on various parts of my torso, I could feel the muscles at work from my hips right up to my sternum, and on both sides. (Occasionally, I would whisper to them, “Hush now, it’ll all soon be over.”) I also found I was using my core to press my lower back into the floor, adding to the intensity of the workout.

By day four, I was up to three sets of one minute, with 30 blessed seconds of rest between sets. With most challenges, I find I continue to make progress until the end of the week; not this one. On the final day, it was still three sets of one minute, and towards the end of each set, I was glancing at my phone, begging the alarm to go off. This is one of the easiest moves I have ever done, but also one of the hardest, and certainly one of the most effective. It will also work your hip flexors and quads, but, to be honest, you won’t feel it, as your core will have all your attention. I recommend you get fluttering. (See how easy that sounds?)

Google News

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

John Carroll
John Carroll

John is a writer and editor based in London. He was worked for magazines such as Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Cosmopolitan. A keen runner, what he lacks in ability he makes up for with enthusiasm and excuses. 

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.