Butt kicks are a jog in place where each heel swings up behind you toward your buttock while the thigh keeps pointing down. You land lightly on the balls of your feet and swing your arms as you go. It is a common warm-up drill that works the back of the thigh (hamstrings) and the calves and gets your heart rate up.

How to do the butt kicks

Stand tall with your feet about hip width apart on a firm, non-slip floor, wearing supportive athletic shoes.
Start a light jog in place. As one foot leaves the floor, bend that knee and flick the heel up behind you toward your buttock.
Keep that thigh pointing at the floor, so the knee stays under the hip rather than coming forward.
Land on the ball of the other foot with a soft knee, then kick the next heel up. Keep switching in a steady rhythm.
Bend your elbows and swing your arms in time with your legs, as in the video. Keep your back straight and breathe steadily.

What you should feel

Quick work at the back of the thighs and in the calves, with your breathing and heart rate climbing. The front of the thigh may feel a light stretch each time the heel comes up.

Common mistakes

Leaning forward or arching the lower back to get the heel higher.
Letting the knees drift forward, which turns the drill into high knees.
Landing flat footed or heavily.
Holding your breath.

How often

Many programs use 2 to 4 rounds of 20 to 30 seconds, with 30 to 60 seconds of rest between rounds, often as part of a warm-up. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Chest pain or pressure, dizziness or feeling faint, a racing or irregular heartbeat, or being far more out of breath than the effort should cause.
A sudden sharp pain, pop or snap at the back of your thigh. Stop straight away. If you then get large bruising spreading down the back of the thigh, a gap or dip you can feel, a stiff-legged walk, or clear weakness when you bend the knee, get assessed the same day at urgent care or an emergency department, as the tendon may have pulled away from the bone near the buttock.
Sharp pain in the knee, ankle, foot or shin.
A sudden pop or snap at the back of your ankle or heel, a feeling that someone kicked you there, or sudden pain there after which you cannot push off or rise onto your toes on that leg. Stop, take the weight off that leg carefully and go to an urgent care center or emergency department the same day, even if you can still walk, as this can be a torn Achilles tendon.

From the clinic

Your heel does not have to touch your buttock. Kick only as high as feels easy and let the height come over a few sessions. For a version with no bounce, hold a chair back and do slow standing hamstring curls, or build up with marching on the spot before you add the jog. High knees are the partner drill, driving the knee up in front instead of the heel up behind.

Butt kicks lift your heart rate quickly, and every step is a small impact. If you have a heart or lung condition or high blood pressure, or have been told to limit hard effort, check with your doctor or physio first. Ask first as well if you have osteoporosis, are pregnant, or notice urine leaking when you jog.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon before you try butt kicks. Many surgeons advise against running and jogging after a joint replacement for good, not just for the first months, because each step sends impact through the new joint. After a recent hamstring strain, wait for your physio's go-ahead, because fast, repeated kicks load the muscle quickly.

If chest pain, pressure or tightness does not ease quickly when you rest, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, feeling light-headed or being short of breath, call emergency services straight away, as this can be a heart attack. If it eases quickly and none of these happen, get medical advice the same day, and do not exercise again until you have been checked. If you faint while exercising, call emergency services, even if you feel fine again quickly.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-28.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Butt kicks