Standing Split Kicks

Flexopedia > Hip Flexors & Hamstrings

Standing Split Kicks

Muscle Group Stretched: Hip Flexors, Hamstrings

Muscle Group Strengthened: Glutes

Type of Stretch: Dynamic Active

Difficulty: All Levels

Suggested Prerequisites: none

Don’t let the name of this drill fool you, this really is an “all levels” exercise, and is a great hip strengthener for your front splits, even if your legs are far from looking very “split-y.”

How To

Step 1

Start in a comfortable flat back forward fold - a forward fold that feels like a bit of a stretch, but not too intense (something like 5 out of 10 on an intensity scale). That likely means starting with your hands on yoga blocks or a chair to help moderate the amount you’re leaning forwards, or even bending your knees slightly.

Step 2

Extend one leg straight behind you - this will be the working leg. Keeping both hip bones pointing towards the floor (avoid letting them tilt/open to the side), lift the straight leg behind you as high as you can - this should feel like a squeeze in the lifting leg glutes, as well as a stretch in the underside of your standing leg (hamstrings), and possibly a stretching sensation in the front of the lifting leg’s hip (hip flexors). Don’t worry about how high the leg goes, depending on your flexibility, even lifting it to hip height might feel like a huge challenge - that’s OK!

Slowly lower the leg back down to start.

Repeat for 8-12 leg lifts.

Modifications

Need to make it easier?

Bend the supporting leg knee.

Lift your torso more by placing your hands on a chair or the wall instead of on yoga blocks.

Want to make it harder?

Add a deeper forward fold. Instead of starting at your “5 out of 10” intensity forward fold, start in your deepest flat back forward fold.

Related Content

• Flexopedia: Supine Hamstring Stretch

• Flexopedia: Hips-on-Blocks Glutes Contract-Relax

• Blog Post: Flat Split on the Floor but Not in the Air - What Gives?