10 Amazing Benefits Of Flutter Kicks For Your Body

Tone the lower half of your body with this impactful exercise & get ready to flaunt a fit bod.

Reviewed by David Rosales, NSCA-CPT
Written by Charushila Biswas, MSc (Biotechnology), ISSA Certified Fitness Nutritionist
Edited by Ravi Teja Tadimalla, BSc, Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition and Health
Fact-checked by Payal Karnik, MSc (Biotechnology), Certified Health & Nutrition Life Coach  • 

Flutter kick exercises target the lower abs, glutes, and thighs. There’s no doubt they are a great core strengthening and stabilizing exercise. This exercise targets the problem areas of many women and helps shed the excess flab from the thighs, hips, and belly. Moreover, swimmers use flutter kicks to propel their body forward. They also help train the lower abdominal muscles, which are important for improving posture. When done correctly, they can support common problems like lower back pain.

You can even perform them on a mat to achieve the same benefits. Read on to understand the benefits of flutter kick exercises.

protip_icon Workout Blueprint: Flutter Kick Exercise
  • Frequency: Daily
  • Benefits: Burns calories, improves flexibility, and boosts muscle endurance.
  • Equipment Needed: Exercise mat
  • Space Required: Small area
  • Assistance Required: No
  • Who Should Avoid: Anyone with lower back pain and pregnant women.

What Are Flutter Kicks?

Flutter kicks is a popular abdominal exercise that targets the lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors. This exercise involves lying down on your back, typically on a mat, with your hands placed underneath your hips for support. You will then alternately kick your legs up and down in a fluttering motion while keeping them straight and the toes pointed. Flutter kicks engage the core muscles to promote abdominal strength. They are often incorporated into fitness routines aimed at toning the abdomen and enhancing overall core stability. Additionally, flutter kicks can help improve hip flexibility and strengthen the lower back.

It is important to learn how to do flutter kicks the right way to reap the benefits. Scroll down to find out.

Quick View – How To Do Flutter Kicks

Before we dive into the benefits of flutter kicks, take a look at how you should do this exercise.

Steps To Do Flutter Kick Exercise

  1. Wear your sports shoes. Get hold of a mat, and lie down on your back.
  2. Keep your legs together, and extend them forward in front of you.
  3. Place your arms by your side, and palms flat on the mat.
  4. Tighten your abs, lift your feet off the ground, look up at the ceiling, and begin moving your legs up and down.
  5. Keep going until you finish the first set.
  6. Lower the legs, rest for 10 seconds and repeat.
  7. You can also move your legs in a criss-cross manner as a variation.

protip_icon Quick Tip
You can also practice flutter kicks by lying in the prone position on your stomach.

So, you see, it is not difficult to do. This effective exercise activates the following muscles.

What Muscles Do Flutter Kicks Work On?

They work on the mid and lower abs, glutes, hip flexors, quads, and adductors. As a result, it helps in lower body muscle toning.

We will now talk about the benefits of doing flutter kicks.

10 Benefits Of Flutter Kick Exercise 

1. Burns Calories

Burn calories with flutter kick exercises
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Flutter kicks are great calorie burners. Depending on your current body weight and exercise duration and intensity, you can burn anywhere between 20-120 calories. That’s equal to running for 15 minutes at moderate speed. So, kick some calories with flutter kicks!

2. Excellent Cardio

Cardio increases the heart rate. As a result, more capillariesi  XTiny, hairlike blood vessels that regulate blood flow throughout the body. deliver oxygen to the muscles, which is then used to burn the fat. So, basically, cardio is an aerobic exercise. Flutter kick is an unassuming cardio exercise that targets your problem areas like the belly, hips, and thighs.

3. Tones The Lower Body

Tone the lower body with flutter kick exercises
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A toned lower body looks fabulous. A flutter kick helps you get well-toned lower abs, lower back, hips, and thighs. It does so by activating the muscles, which rebuild themselves and become stronger and thicker.

But that does not mean you will look like a man – you do not have as much testosteronei  XA chemical responsible for the development of men’s sexual characteristics. as a man. Plus, you need to work out rigorously to look like a bodybuilder.

4. Sheds Belly Fat

This is what we all want – to shed belly fat. Unfortunately, it is the toughest and most stubborn fat of all. Stress and unhealthy lifestyle choices cause fat accumulation in your belly region, which can put your health at serious risk in the long term. Flutter kick engages all the muscles of your abs, and since it’s a cardio exercise, it targets and burns the extra flab in your belly region.

protip_icon Quick Tip
Practice portion control, eat a variety of whole, unprocessed foods, and stay hydrated along with doing flutter kicks to lose unwanted belly fat.

5. Sculpts Your Abs

Sculpt your abs with flutter kick exercises
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The next step to a flat belly is to sculpt the abs. Flutter kicks help define the ab muscles and in body sculpting, making your belly look whittled and carved. Even if you do not have full-blown six packs (why not?), a subtle show of your hard work can give you a major shot of serotonini  XA chemical that plays a vital role in maintaining a positive mood, through which the nervous system and the brain send signals. , the “feel good” hormone. This, in turn, can help you stay motivated to follow a healthy lifestyle.

6. Strengthens The Legs

As mentioned before, swimmers do flutter kicks to propel their body forward, which is why they have strong legs; hence, it is also considered a part of swimming workouts. Apart from targeting your abs, flutter kicks also engage and activate the muscles in your thighs.

The more you use a muscle, the more wear and tear occurs. But instead of leading to muscle weakness, when you take rest/sleep, the muscles get rejuvenated and rebuild themselves into strong muscle fibers. In fact, when your muscles are strong, they have more mitochondria – organelles that generate energy and increase metabolism. So, by flutter kicking, you will not only lose the flab in your thighs but also strengthen and tone them.

7. Improves Posture

Improve posture with flutter kick exercises
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Most exercises help improve posture – and so do flutter kicks. Raising your legs off the ground, lying down with your spine on the mat, shoulders rolled back, and looking up at the ceiling will correct any slouching or bending. Remember, it is important to do flutter kicks with precision so that you don’t develop a bad posture or injure yourself.

8. Reduces Back Pain

Back pain is something that most of us suffer from. We sit too much, slouch, follow incorrect exercise steps, or do not exercise at all. Whatever the reason is, back pain should not be ignored. When you flutter kick, you raise your legs a little – this contracts the lower abs and stretches the back muscles and helps relax them. In the long run, flutter kicks can also help reduce back pain. Remember, you must consult your doctor before doing flutter kicks to reduce back pain to know the severity and prevent further complications.

9. Increases Flexibility

Increase flexibility with flutter kick exercises
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The flutter kick helps relax the various muscles it works on, such as the abs, glutes, and inner and outer thighs. This, in turn, improves your flexibility. Although you will not become a gymnast by merely doing flutter kicks, you will definitely be able to sit on the floor for a longer duration, do yoga poses, asanas, or dynamic stretches with more ease, and not feel the tightness around your pelvic region and lower.

10. Improves Endurance

Flutter kicks also help improve muscle endurance during strength training. This will come with practice and commitment to your exercise routine. As you advance, you will not feel the burn with 3 sets of 25 flutter kicks. Indulge in fitness challenges by increasing the repetitions or set a timer to do flutter kicks for one minute straight without taking a break.

These are the 10 benefits of doing flutter kicks. Before I conclude, let me share some tips to do flutter kicks correctly.

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. Don’t let your feet touch the ground.
  5. Continue breathing. People tend to hold their breath while doing flutter kicks.
  6. Keep your palms below your hips if you have lower back pain.

Remember that starting any workout or exercise routine is not easy. It will take time, patience, and consistent effort to see results and progress. It’s natural to face challenges and setbacks along the way, but don’t be discouraged. Stay committed to your goals. Kimberly, a fitness blogger, recounted how people could see the changes in her after doing flutter kicks and other exercises. She said, “I still am a bit anxious to notice results although maybe it is starting to show a little…several of my customers have asked me if I got my hair cut; once I say “yes” they comment that they “knew something was different…I am going to assume I am just starting to look better from all this hard work and they just can’t quite put their fingers on it yet. (i).”

Doing an exercise correctly is more important than doing more reps or sets. Do the flutter kick to reshape and strengthen your lower body. It will make you look and feel good. Start today. Cheers!

Infographic: 4 Incredible Advantages Of Flutter Kick Exercise

Flutter kicks are one of the most remarkable leg exercises that target and beautifully shape your lower and middle body. Most people today are very concerned with their appearance and posture and will never compromise on their exercise regimen. Flutter kicks can benefit your body in several ways, from the upper body to the lower body. If you’re seeking some cool ways to reap the many advantages of this excellent workout, the infographic below lists some of its most astounding benefits. Take a look!

4 incredible advantages of flutter kick exercise(infographic)

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Get the high-quality PDF version of this infographic.

Download Infographic in PDF version

Flutter kick exercises help shed the excess fat from the hips, thighs, and belly. They are excellent cardio workouts that not only help lose weight but tone your lower body muscles as well. With regular practice, it helps improve posture, add flexibility, and improve endurance as well. While swimmers use flutter kicks to push themselves forward, you can include it in your workout routine to improve strength and stamina overall.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: leg raises or flutter kicks?

It depends on what you’re aiming for; leg raises make for wholesome lower body workouts, whereas flutter kicks are more of a lower abdominal exercise.

How many flutter kicks a day?

2-3 sets of 10-20 repetitions for each leg is a good amount of flutter kicks per day.

Can you do flutter kicks in bed?

You can if the bed is firm enough with the right support.

What’s the difference between flutter kicks and scissor kicks?

Scissor kicks are more commonly included in High-intensity interval training (HIIT) programs and are more advanced than flutter kicks.

Key Takeaways

  • Flutter kicks help target your lower abs, glutes, and thighs, making for a great way to improve your core strength.
  • This cardio exercise is great at burning calories and helps you tone your lower abs, back, hips, and thighs.
  • Flutter kicks can even help improve your posture and may also aid in reducing back pain.
  • When doing flutter kicks, don’t hold your breath and try not to let your feet touch the ground.


Learn how to do flutter kicks with this easy tutorial. Watch this video to learn all the variations and benefits of including this exercise in your routine.

Personal Experience: Source

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