Straight Leg Kickback (kneeling)

Description

How to Do Straight Leg Kickback (kneeling)

1. 1
   Setup

   Begin on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back neutral and core engaged.

2. 2
   Setup

   Shift your weight slightly to one side and prepare to extend the opposite leg. Ensure your neck is in line with your spine.

3. 3

   Keeping your working leg straight and foot flexed, slowly lift it directly behind you, squeezing your glute at the top of the movement. Avoid arching your lower back.

4. 4

   Lower your leg with control, bringing it back to the starting position without letting your foot touch the ground. Maintain tension in your glute throughout.

5. 5

   Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other leg.

Tips

• Focus on squeezing your glute throughout the entire range of motion, especially at the peak of the contraction, to maximize muscle activation.
• Avoid using momentum; perform the movement slowly and deliberately to ensure your glutes are doing the work, not just swinging your leg.
• Keep your core braced throughout the exercise to prevent your lower back from arching and to maintain a stable base.
• Maintain a flexed foot (toes pointing down or neutral) to help engage the glute more effectively and prevent kicking with the hamstring.

Common Mistakes

• ×Avoid excessively arching your lower back to lift the leg higher; instead, focus on hip extension and glute contraction, keeping your core tight.
• ×Do not swing your leg up quickly using momentum; instead, perform the movement slowly and with control to ensure the glute is doing the work.
• ×Kicking the leg too high often leads to lower back arching; focus on reaching a height where your glute is fully contracted without compromising spinal alignment.