Single Leg Butt Kick
The Single Leg Butt Kick is a standing bodyweight exercise that isolates the hamstring by curling the heel toward the glutes. This movement improves dynamic knee flexion and stretches the quadriceps while enhancing single-leg balance.
Because this exercise is often used for mobility or active recovery, the AI analyzes your daily recovery metrics like HRV and sleep to determine if this should replace heavier hamstring work on high-fatigue days. By tracking your RPE, the app ensures you are performing this as a controlled activation movement rather than fatiguing the muscle before your main workout. Additionally, if you report knee discomfort with weighted leg curls, the AI can intelligently swap in this bodyweight variation to maintain range of motion without the compressive load.
Form Cues
- Stand tall with your core braced
- Keep your knees aligned with each other
- Squeeze your hamstring to lift your heel
- Control the foot as you lower it down
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout
- Don't arch your lower back
- Don't let your working knee drift forward
- Don't use momentum to swing the leg up
- Don't allow your hips to pike or twist
Common Mistakes
- Arching the lumbar spine
- Driving the knee forward (hip flexion)
- Relying on momentum/swinging
- Incomplete range of motion
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the hamstrings through active knee flexion, teaching the muscle to contract without external load. It also serves as a dynamic stretch for the quadriceps and hip flexors of the working leg, while engaging the glutes and stabilizers of the standing leg to maintain balance.
Primary
Secondary
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