1. Set up the exercise

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your weight centered over one foot. Soften the standing knee slightly so you can balance without locking the leg.

Brace your core gently, keep your chest lifted, and point your supporting knee straight ahead. If you need help at first, stand near a wall or sturdy surface for light fingertip support.

2. Perform the single leg butt kick

Shift all of your weight onto one leg. Bend the other knee and bring that heel up toward the same-side glute in a smooth, controlled motion.

Pause briefly at the top only if you can stay balanced, then lower the foot back to the floor with control. That is one rep. Repeat for the target number of reps, then switch sides.

A helpful cue is to think "heel up, knee down, torso tall." If you want to check your range and symmetry, Fitnit can help you watch for hip twisting or rushing through the rep using your phone camera.

3. Common mistakes to avoid

Don’t swing the leg so hard that your torso leans forward or your hips rotate. The movement should come from the knee bending, not from throwing the leg backward.

Avoid hiking the knee out to the side, flaring the foot, or forcing the heel to touch the glute. Go only as high as you can without arching your lower back.

Don’t rush. Fast reps usually turn this into a sloppy balance drill instead of a controlled hamstring-focused movement.

4. How to make it easier or harder

Make it easier by touching a wall, shortening the range of motion, or doing slower reps with a brief balance reset between sides.

Make it harder by pausing at the top, slowing the lowering phase, or performing reps without any hand support. You can also add a march step between reps to challenge coordination.

Tips

• Keep your standing foot rooted: pressure should stay spread across the heel, big toe, and little toe.
• Move slowly enough that your hips stay level and your lower back stays relaxed.
• Exhale as you lift the heel to help keep your core engaged.
• Stop if you feel sharp knee, hip, or low-back pain; a butt kick should feel controlled, not painful.
• Use a mirror or phone video to check whether your torso stays upright and your knee tracks straight ahead.