Straight Leg Kickback (kneeling)

Description

How to do Straight Leg Kickback (kneeling)

1. 01
   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. 02
   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. 03

   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. 04

   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. 05

   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.