Scissor Kick
The scissor kick is a floor exercise where you lie on your back and cross your straight legs up and down, like a pair of open scissors. It isolates your abdominals, especially the lower portion, through a continuous, controlled leg motion instead of a crunching motion. It suits anyone building core endurance or looking for a low-impact way to challenge their abs without loading the spine.
Why it works
Lifting your straight legs off the ground shifts a lot of the resistance onto your lower abdominals, since they have to keep your pelvis tucked and your lower back pressed toward the floor as your legs move through the air. Crossing your legs scissor-style instead of just holding them still adds a continuous demand, so your abs can never fully relax between reps. That steady tension is what builds core endurance rather than pure strength, which is exactly what the scissor kick is best used for.
Set up
- Lie flat on your back with your legs extended straight out.
- Press your lower back gently into the floor and tuck your pelvis slightly.
- Place your hands under your hips or flat by your sides for support.
How to do it
- Lift both legs a few inches off the floor.
- Cross one leg over the other in a scissor motion, then switch, alternating which leg passes on top.
- Keep your legs straight and your movements small and controlled.
- Continue alternating for the set, keeping your lower back pressed down the whole time.
Form cues
- Keep your lower back flat against the floor throughout.
- Move your legs from your hips, keeping your knees straight.
- Keep the kicks small rather than swinging your legs wildly.
- Breathe steadily instead of holding your breath through the set.
Breathing: Breathe in a steady rhythm throughout the set, exhaling on the effort of each crossing motion rather than holding your breath.
Common mistakes
Letting the lower back arch off the floor.
Fix: Lift your legs only as high as you can while keeping your lower back pressed down; raise your legs higher to reduce the load if you can't hold that position.
Bending the knees to make the movement easier.
Fix: Keep your legs straight throughout; if that's too hard, bend your knees slightly rather than losing the flat lower back.
Rushing through fast, uncontrolled kicks.
Fix: Slow the tempo down so each crossing motion is controlled rather than using momentum to swing the legs.
Holding the breath through the set.
Fix: Keep breathing steadily; a held breath tends to make the lower back arch.
How to program it
- As a light bodyweight ab isolation move, 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 30 seconds most days you train your core works well.
- Add it to the end of a workout as a finisher, or use it as part of a core circuit alongside a rotational exercise and a static hold.
- Increase the challenge by lowering your legs closer to the floor rather than by speeding up the kicks.
Safety notes
- Stop if you feel the movement in your lower back rather than your abs.
- Keep your legs higher off the floor if you can't maintain a flat lower back at a lower height.
- Move at a controlled pace rather than using fast, jerky kicks.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Stretching
Frequently asked questions
How long should I hold a scissor kick set?
20 to 30 seconds of continuous kicking is a solid starting point, building up as your core endurance improves.
How is this different from flutter kicks?
Flutter kicks use small, fast up-and-down movements, while scissor kicks cross your legs over each other in a wider, slower motion. Both target the same lower-ab and hip-flexor area.
Why does my lower back hurt during scissor kicks?
If your lower back arches off the floor, the load shifts away from your abs and onto your spine. Lift your legs a little higher off the floor until you can keep your lower back pressed down throughout.
Can I do scissor kicks every day?
Yes, since it's a light, low-impact movement, but give your core a rest day if you notice ongoing soreness rather than the normal muscle fatigue that fades within a day or two.