You Can Get Six Pack Abs with the Flutter Kicks Exercise

Everyone wants to search for that one or two exercises that will give them that 6-pack look. And if you are one of those, you have come to the right place! We will talk about the Flutter kick exercise and how it targets the lower abs, glutes, and thighs.

The Flutter kick exercise has so many benefits! It's such a great way to increase your stability and strength. When combined with a good exercise routine and diet, the flutter kick exercise can target problem areas of many individuals to help shed those extra pounds around the waist, thighs and belly.

There's so many athletes that use flutter kick exercise as apart of their fitness routine to help train their lower abs.

You can even perform them on a mat to achieve the same benefits

What are flutter kicks?

I might can guess that a few of you have heard of flutter kicks, or may even have them out yourself a few times. The Flutter kicks exercises focuses on the core muscles, more specially the lower ab muscles, plus the hip flexors. Interestingly enough, the flutter kick exercises, when performed, may look like someone swimming on their back. When you perform this exercise, you are strengthening your back muscles as well as your core muscles.

How to Preform Flutter Kicks

1. First, lie down on your back on a mat or the floor. Pull your belly button to your spine to engage your core.

2. Raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the ground, with your hands behind your head. Make sure to keep your chin tucked.

3. As you lift your legs up off the floor, make sure you maintain contact between your lower back and the mat.

4. Swiftly move your feet up and and down like you're swimming in air.

Make Flutter Kicks Part Of Your Workout

There are oh so many ways to add flutter kicks into your fitness routine. Although, I would recommended that you train the abs last that way you can have the energy to use them throughout your workout and engage them for those exercises that need it.

When I first got back into exercising, my plan was to be able to train my core last, but I never got there because my core muscles were too sore after I was engaging them in other full body exercises, that I just couldn't bring myself to overwork those muscles. Not to mention that I was still trying to heal my abs from having my 3rd baby, so I already had to take it easy.

But, no matter if you just had a baby, or just starting to workout, or even a seasoned gym goer, you still need to be able to recognize when you should stop exercising.

Yes, a little muscle soreness is okay, but there is difference between over working your muscles and being a little sore.

Flutter kicks offer major benefits for your entire core.

As I mentioned above, you can add the flutter kicks exercise into your workout routine, or you can even just include them as a dedicated ab workout. You can try to aim for 3 - 4 sets of 15 - 60 seconds depending on your own fitness level.

If you are new, you might want to shoot for the lower amount and work your way up. There is no shame in starting out low. I've had to start with low reps and low time every single time after I've had a baby. But - I will tell you that you can do it. You can make progress. You can see those reps increase effortlessly. You can see the progress that you have made when you look back and say "hey - I started out only completing 2 sets of 15 seconds! Now I can complete 3 sets of 45 seconds!"

You will be amazed how much you can accomplish when you dedicate yourself to something. Just keep in mind this isn't the easiest move, so it's important to pay close attention to your form.

I would suggest that you warm up with a pelvic tilt before starting this exercise. Flutter kicks involve pushing your lower back on the floor, but if you feel that your lower back is lifting off, maybe it would be time to take a break for a moment to regroup yourself.

As you get stronger, you'll be able to sustain longer and longer sets of flutter kicks. But whether you do them for 15 seconds or a full minute, expect to feel the burn.

6 Tips To Do Flutter Kick Exercise Correctly

1. Keep your abs tight, shoulders relaxed, and look up at the ceiling. Your eyes must be at about 70 degrees with the floor.

2. Maintain a neutral spine throughout one set of the exercise.

3. Do not tuck your chin in.

4. Keep your feet in the air.

5. Continue breathing and don't hold your breath.

6. Keep your palms below your hips if you have lower back pain.

What are the Muscles that are Worked in Flutter Kicks?

Core muscles

Yes. Obviously, the core muscles. The core muscles include the rectus abdominals (six-pack), the obliques (muscles on the outsides of the six-pack), deep core muscles, and even the erector spinae.

Hip flexors

The hip flexors should only be minimally involved in this exercise. If you end up feeling the burn in your hip flexors, you’re doing it wrong and won’t feel it in your core.

The hip flexors are made up of the rectus femoris, iliopsoas, sartorius, and tensor fasciae latae muscles.

Glutes, hamstrings, and quads

When you complete the flutter kick exercises, you won't be feeling the burn in the glutes, hamstrings and quads. Even if you don't feel the burn here, these muscle groups are still at work.

How to Count Sets and Reps

Since flutter kick exercises are a great way to work that core, you can do multiple sets if you can. As far as reps go, flutter kicks are counted in a four count.

So, for example, you’ll do 1, 2, 3… 1 rep… 1, 2, 3… 2 reps… 1, 2, 3… 3 reps, and so on. Four total leg movements equal one repetition and you’ll never stop moving your legs through the exercise.

If you are one who does like to count reps, then go ahead, by all means! :) But, I would suggest that you perform the exercise until you just can't anymore. Why? Because this exercise is challenging! And to make sure that you are getting the most out of the exercise, what better way to do that then to just keep going?

Conclusion

We have gone over how to complete the flutter kick exercises, how to count reps/sets and the benefits. Now that you know a bit more, why not try it out next time you hit the gym?