Runner Butt-Kick
Tone your glutes & improve running form with Runner Butt-Kicks! A simple, effective exercise you can do anywhere.
The Runner Butt-Kick mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the core, hip abductors (outer thighs) and calves / shins. No equipment needed: it uses just your bodyweight.
Runner Butt-Kick Muscles Worked
Primary
Glutes (gluteus maximus); Hamstrings
Secondary
Abdominals (rectus abdominis); Hip Abductor (gluteus medius); Lower Calf (soleus)
Runner Butt-Kick Variations and Alternatives
How to do the Runner Butt-Kick
Begin by standing upright with your feet hip-width apart.
Start jogging in place, lifting your feet slightly off the ground with each jog.
Enhance the movement by bending your knees and kicking your heels back to touch your buttocks with each step. The hands can be kept bent at the elbows with the palms facing each other in front of your chest, which helps to maintain balance.
Increase the pace to make the exercise more intense, but ensure to maintain a rhythm where each heel is coming up to touch the butt or is lifting as high as possible.
Continue the butt kicks for a period of time or distance, such as 30 seconds or across a specified area.
Keep your upper body straight and look forward, with your core engaged throughout the movement and your arms swinging naturally with each kick.
Breathe steadily and focus on kicking your heels up consistently, alternating your legs quickly and smoothly.
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Runner Butt-Kick FAQs
What muscles does the Runner Butt-Kick work?
The Runner Butt-Kick mainly works the glutes & hips and hamstrings, with help from the core, hip abductors (outer thighs) and calves / shins. The main muscles are the gluteus maximus and hamstrings.
What equipment do you need for the Runner Butt-Kick?
None. The Runner Butt-Kick is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it anywhere.
What workout day should the Runner Butt-Kick go on?
It belongs on leg day in a push/pull/legs routine.
What are some Runner Butt-Kick variations and alternatives?
Similar exercises include the Alternating Butt-Kick to Knee Thrust, Arm Swing Butt-Kick, Arms-Forward Butt-Kick and Back-Kick Heel-Tap.
Training calculators
Work out the numbers behind your training before your next session.