Legs falling asleep during flutter kicks?

novakac
novakac Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hey,

I usually do flutter kicks in sets of 25 (4-count). I decided to up that a bit this morning, and did 50 in one set. I stopped because something was wrong.... my core wasn't really being activated (maybe I need to manually activate these muscles during the exercise?), and my legs were falling asleep!

Could someone give me a few pointers on form?

Replies

  • novakac
    novakac Posts: 22 Member
    bump
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    That's weird! You must have been pinching a nerve!

    I don't do flutter kicks, but I have. I like a similar kind of leg lifts done with both legs (and I weight mine). I think split-leg kicks can cause you to use your hip flexors more than your abs oftentimes. They are safer for the back than two legs, but I don't think they activate the abs as much as other things. You do have to know your own lower back to do the two-leg ones.

    But you can actively use the abs to do more of the work, yes. It's easier to notice if you try them slowly. Push the lower back to the floor using your abs as you do it. Try varying the height slowly, too, and you should feel how the abs are working it at some point. If you don't, you might just be too strong for them to do much! Add some weight, then :)

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