Not all exercises are good for you. According to fitness experts, some exercises harm you. Sidekicks are thought to be one of them.  

But are sidekicks bad for you?

No, sidekicks are very beneficial for you, especially for your hips and the lower body. It works on all the crucial muscle groups on your lower body part. It’s a very good exercise for toning your thighs, hips, and glutes. Sidekicks also strengthen your core by forcing the core muscles to react. 

That must have sounded awesome, right? But, there’s more. We have found everything we could about sidekicks and jammed it into one article. So that you can clear your misconceptions about it. Now, shall we begin?

Are Sidekicks Bad for You?

No, they are not. In fact, they are very good for your body. The exercise not only improves your leg muscles but also your core muscles. If you maintain proper posture, it can be called a full-body exercise. And also, use hand movements. 

But the benefits depend on if you are doing the exercise correctly. There are different versions of sidekicks and different methods of doing it. We will discuss all of those here. But first, let’s have a look at all its benefits.

Benefits of Sidekicks

You already know sidekicks are good for you. Also, it enhances your lower body, but how? What does it do? We have compiled a list of all of its advantages. Check them out.

Improves Your Balance

This one doesn’t need any explanation. You already understand how sidekick works. It requires you to stand on one leg while kicking with the other. Thus, improving your balance.

But this is only for the traditional sidekick exercise where you do it standing. There are other versions where you lie down or get on all fours. Those versions don’t challenge your balance that much.  

Improves Core Stability

Sidekicks automatically force the core muscles to activate and strengthen them. This is called reactive core training. Sidekick is also a simpler alternative to other core exercises like 6-inch leg raise, or plank.

Strengthens Your Lower Body

Sidekicks specialize in your lower body part. This is obvious because it is a leg workout. But what muscles are used for sidekicks? 

Sidekicks use all the major muscle groups from your lower body. But it mostly uses the quads, glutes, and outer thighs. Sidekicks also work on your oblique muscle. It extends and contracts your oblique muscle in a single move, toning it to its limit.  

Improve Hip Strength and Mobility

You need to balance yourself on one leg for the sidekicks. So, that makes you use your hip strength. So, doing some sets of sidekicks will improve your hip strength and mobility.

It also shapes and tones your hip areas. So, if you are looking to get your dream body, sidekicks are a great exercise. 

And Some More

Along with those, it helps you with some other things. For example, raising your heart rate, burning calories, keeping your abs tight, etc. Also, you can combine the sidekick with some other moves to get more out of it.

One of the best aspects of the sidekick is that no equipment is required. The simplicity of this exercise makes this a great one for beginners.

Types of Sidekicks  

We promised to tell you all about sidekicks and now we will talk about the types. There are different versions of sidekicks with different methods. As a result, there are a lot more options to pick from.

Before you start exercising, you must stretch otherwise you might hurt your joints. If you feel any joint pain then Joint N-11 might be of use.

The Traditional

This one is probably the simplest one among all the versions. This is why it is preferred by everyone, beginners or experts alike. Let’s show you how to do it.

Starting Position

Before you start this exercise make sure you have your back straight. Also, keep your abs engaged, shoulders relaxed, and elbows bent. Make two fists and place them in front of your chest. As if you’re about to box. 

Keep your feet together, knees bent and lean toward the right.

Action       

So, you got your starting position nailed. Now it’s time to do “the tradition” sidekick. To get this done correctly, follow these instructions.

Step 1: Lift your leg to knee length up. Keep it slightly aside from your body’s midline.

Step 2: Maintain a straight left knee and kick an imagined target to your left. Don’t move your thigh.  

Step 3: Bend your knee again and keep your thigh still. 

Step 4: Maintain a straight left knee and kick an imagined target to your left. Repeat this until you complete your set then switch legs.

Squat Side Kick

As the name suggests, it involves squatting and kicking. This is most likely the best hip and leg exercise. Also, it’s pretty simple to do. Let’s see how to properly do it.

Starting Position

Keep your chest up and your hips back, doing this will engage your core. You need to begin this exercise in a squatting position. Remember to Inhale as you squat and don’t extend your knees beyond the toes. Always keep your hands entangled together throughout the exercise. 

Action

Like every other sidekick, this one is also pretty simple. You only need to take three steps to do this. Here they are.

Step One: Start in a squat position. Keep your hips floating and your weight on your thighs. 

Step Two: Stand up, switching your weight to your right leg. Push your left leg to the side.

Step Three: Repeat this until you complete your set then switch legs.

Side Leg Raise

This version needs you to lie down. So, you will be needing a yoga mat for this. This one tones your hip, so check this out if you’re looking for a summer bod.

Starting Position

Lie down sideways on your yoga mat. Keep one hand behind your neck and place another on your waist. You should not balance yourself with your hands.

Action

If you are already lying down, there is only one thing left to do. Lift your leg up, pose for a couple of seconds then put it down. When you finish your set, change the leg and repeat.

All Four Side Kick

We have gone through all the easy ones. Now it’s time to try out the hard ones. You will also need a yoga mat to test this out. Because it requires you to get down on all fours. 

Starting Position

Put your weight on your shoulders and get down on all fours. Check that your hands are straight beneath your shoulders. Maintain a 90-degree bend in your knees.

Action

Before starting take a deep breath.It works on your entire body, so be sure you maintain proper posture. Then follow these steps.

Step One: Lift your right leg to the side. Keep the knee bent to 90 degrees.

Step Two: Then make your knee straight until it is parallel to the floor.

Step Three: Bend the knee again to 90 degrees. Then slowly, put the leg down.

Step Four: Complete the set and switch your legs.

The MMA Move

This version is like a karate kick. So, you’ll feel very cool doing this. This one challenges your balance quite a bit. So, you can use gym rings to keep yourself stable.

Starting Position

Take a posture like a boxer. Make fists and place your hands in front of you. Lean forward a bit.

Action

To perform this, lift your kicking leg. Make sure your knee is across your body. Extend your leg as if you are kicking someone. Then retract your leg and put your foot down.

Things to Keep in Mind

Sidekicks are not bad for you unless you follow the rules correctly. You must keep your posture and balance right or you might tear your muscle.So, double-check all procedures.

You can also try Golden Revive + to re-energize muscles or tendons.

Like every other exercise, you must not overdo it. Or you might exhaust yourself and that will harm you physically. This can cause some problems, for example, you might feel pain in your stomach while squatting. 

FAQs

Do side kicks work glutes?

Yes, it does, along with other muscles in your lower parts. It uses all the major muscle groups. But it specially works on the quads, glutes, and outer thighs. It also improves hip strength and mobility. It is also very good as core training.

Why use side leg raises?

Side leg raises causes your leg to push away from the midline of your body. Which makes your outer thighs and hips much stronger, including the glutes muscles. This is also a terrific exercise because you don’t require any equipment. Also, it’s very easy to do.

What are squats with sidekicks?

When you combine the traditional sidekick with squats. You start from a squatting position. Then get up, and lift one leg sideways to kick then squat back down. This is an excellent workout for your hips, legs, and thighs. It’s a great beginner-friendly home exercise that requires no equipment.

Conclusion

So, we have mapped everything out for now. Hope you have your answer on are sidekicks bad for you?

Do let us know if you have tried the versions we have mentioned here. If yes, then which one was your favorite?

This is it for today. Hope you have great days until we meet again.