Standing Straight-Leg Kick

oec:standing-straight-leg-kick

A dynamic warmup movement where one leg is kicked straight forward toward an extended hand to dynamically stretch the hamstrings and activate the hip flexors.

Generated by gemini-3.8-flash from the sources below. No person has checked this record. Don't rely on it for safety.

Also called: Frankenstein Kick, Toy Soldier, Hamstring Kick, Straight-Leg March, Hamstring Kicks

How to do it

Setup

Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and your posture upright.
Extend your arms straight out in front of your chest at shoulder height, palms facing down.

Movement

Keeping your torso upright and core engaged, kick one leg straight out in front of you toward your opposite hand.
Keep the kicking knee extended and your toes dorsiflexed toward your shin until you feel a dynamic stretch through the hamstring.
Lower the leg back to the floor under control.
Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.

Breathing

Exhale as you kick your leg upward and inhale as you lower your foot back to the ground.

Cues

Stay tall through the torso
Kick with control, not momentum
Toes up to your shin

Common faults

Rounding the lower back and reaching the chest forward to touch the foot.: Keep the spine neutral and bring the leg to the hand, not the hand or chest to the leg.
Bending the kicking knee excessively.: Maintain a soft but extended knee to ensure the stretch reaches the hamstring belly.

Safety

Increase kicking height progressively as your hamstrings warm up rather than forcing maximal range of motion immediately.

Muscles

Iliopsoas prime mover
Rectus femoris prime mover
Hamstrings stretched
Rectus abdominis synergist
Gluteus medius stabilizer
Erector spinae stabilizer

Joints

Hip: Flexion
Knee: Extension
Lumbar spine: Isometric stabilization

Details

Movement: Mobility drill, Stretch
Modality: Mobility, Flexibility
Mechanics: not applicable
Force: not applicable
Laterality: alternating
Kinetic chain: open
Level: beginner
Equipment: None
Record: Repetitions
Load: bodyweight

substitute for Front-to-Back Leg Swing

Sources

wger: Hamstring Kicks, by captive0592 (CC-BY-SA-4.0)

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.

Data

standing-straight-leg-kick.json