Flutter Kicks
A beginner compound movement that trains the glutes with just bodyweight.
Force Type
Pull
direction of effort
Difficulty
Beginner
training level
Variations
0
equipment swaps
Muscles
2
primary + secondary
The verdict
Flutter Kicks has 5-step instructions, among the most thoroughly documented of the 22 glutes exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 22 glutes exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Catalog lens
Two ways this record sits in the source corpus
These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.
Instruction steps
#235 of 868
More thorough than most
Numbered source steps, ranked across every documented exercise.
Instruction text
#317 of 868
Typical documentation depth
A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.
Flutter Kicks vs every catalogued exercise by instruction-text length
Where this record's instruction-character count sits among all 873 Free Exercise DB exercises with instructions, not a rating of the movement itself.
727 317th of 873 higher than 556 of 873 exercises
All exercises, banded by instruction-text character count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more exercises. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source Free Exercise DB · 2026-07-10
Flutter Kicks is documented from the Free Exercise DB (CC0) extract, last ingested July 2026. Classification, muscle roles and instruction text are source facts; the placement and cohort measures on this page are computed by PlainExercise and are not a rating of the movement.
What the Flutter Kicks Data Reveals · DEEP · PULL/COMPOUND
Flutter Kicks stands out on force direction, the first filter on this record.
Longer step lists usually mean finer setup cues, not a harder movement by themselves.
Across 22 catalogued glutes movements, the average instruction record is 492 characters and 3.5 steps; 9 of those (40.9%) clear the same ≥500-character rich bar used here. This page ranks #2 of 22 by instruction-character length (1.48× the cohort average).
Among the 111 exercises that also use just bodyweight, average instruction length is 581 characters; 23 of those peers are longer than this record. Equipment-matched peers are the honest comparison when you are choosing a substitute implement for the same pattern.
Other well-documented glutes movements (same ≥500-character bar):
- Glute Kickback (4 steps, 918 chars)
- One-Legged Cable Kickback (6 steps, 718 chars)
- Hip Lift with Band (4 steps, 630 chars)
- Lying Glute (4 steps, 612 chars)
- Barbell Hip Thrust (3 steps, 601 chars)
Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.
Flutter Kicks catalog footprint
Among 22 exercises whose primary muscle is glutes, Flutter Kicks ranks #6 by catalogued variation count. The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for glutes for peer documentation depth.
Muscles worked
The Free Exercise DB classifies each muscle as primary or secondary. It does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Flutter Kicks does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- On a flat bench lie facedown with the hips on the edge of the bench, the legs straight with toes high off the floor and with the arms on top of the bench holding on to the front edge.
- Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings and straighten the legs until they are level with the hips. This will be your starting position.
- Start the movement by lifting the left leg higher than the right leg.
- Then lower the left leg as you lift the right leg.
- Continue alternating in this manner (as though you are doing a flutter kick in water) until you have done the recommended amount of repetitions for each leg. Make sure that you keep a controlled movement at all times. Tip: You will breathe normally as you perform this movement.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Flutter Kicks teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the glutes through its full safe range on Flutter Kicks is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Treating a compound lift like an isolation movement - Flutter Kicks recruits multiple joints; bracing the core and engaging stabilizers matters as much as the prime movers.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears on pull movements, keep shoulder blades down and back to load the correct muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Flutter Kicks - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with just bodyweight where control matters most.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Glutes and secondarily hamstrings
- People training at home without equipment
Who this is NOT for
- People hunting equipment swaps, this record has none to offer; browse the peer glutes exercises for alternate patterns instead.
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Flutter Kicks feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes · BODY-ONLY · PULL/COMPOUND · FLOOR
- On PULL/COMPOUND glutes work, warm up 5–10 minutes before loading Flutter Kicks; keep first sets light until the path feels automatic.
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Beginners on BODY-ONLY gear: cut volume before cutting form, drop a set rather than rush reps.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Curated workout appearances
Flutter Kicks appears in 4 of the 186 curated workout routines on this site.
Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Flutter Kicks, drawn across all muscles (not the glutes-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.
Similar instruction step count
Nearest catalog records by numbered steps.
Similar instruction text length
Nearest catalog records by upstream instruction characters.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Glutes.
See all Glutes exercises.
Using the flutter kicks
Three ways to put it to work.
- Train the glutes 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other glutes movements for balanced development. All glutes exercises
- Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
- As a compound lift, this trains several muscles at once, anchor your session around it before isolation work. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.