Core · Bodyweight
Flutter Kicks
How to do the flutter kicks, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back, lift legs off the ground, and alternate small, controlled kicks up and down.
- 1Lie on your back with your lower back pressed into the floor and alternate small kicks, feeling your lower abs and hip flexors working
- 2Keep your legs straight and move them in a controlled, rhythmic fashion
- 3Engage your core to prevent your lower back from arching off the ground
Common mistakes
- Don't kick from your knees or use large, sweeping motions
- Avoid letting your lower back lift off the floor; if it does, raise your legs slightly
- Don't hold your breath or tense your neck; keep your shoulders relaxed
Muscles worked
The flutter kicks mainly works the lower abs and hip flexors, with the upper abs, obliques, and quads assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsSupport
Flutter Kicks strength standards
See how your flutter kicks ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronze10 reps
Silver23 reps
Gold88 reps
Platinum163 reps
Diamond209 reps
Champion252 reps
Find your rank
Enter your best set of reps.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the flutter kicks for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed April 2026.