Alternating Front Kicks
Also known as: cardio front kicks, running front kicks
- Primary muscleCardio
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyIntermediate
- TypeCardio · Locomotion
- Secondary muscles
- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Body part
- Cardio
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Cardio
Track this exercise in SetGrip — no account needed
Alternating quick front kicks at a running rhythm raises your heart rate while dynamically lengthening the hamstrings each time a leg swings up, a combination plain jogging does not give you. Kick to a height you can control with an upright torso; foot speed matters more here than how high your toes travel.
How to do the Alternating Front Kicks
- Start in a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
- Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your body straight.
- Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.
- Quickly bring one knee towards your chest, then quickly switch and bring the other knee towards your chest.
- Continue alternating knees as fast as you can while maintaining good form.
- Continue for the desired duration or number of repetitions.
Tip: Lean forward from the ankles, not the waist, and keep the elbows bent at roughly 90 degrees.
Muscles worked
Primary
Cardio · Cardio
Running is the most direct way to tax the heart and lungs, and the effort can be tuned from a jog to all-out sprints.
Secondary
- Quads
- Hamstrings — The hamstrings are the main muscle in fast running, pulling the leg back under the body on each stride; they get hit hardest at top speed.
- Calves — The calves absorb the landing and spring you into the next step, and they are what get sore first when you are new to running or drills.
Common mistakes
- Overstriding on each step — landing with the foot far in front of the hips brakes every step; shorten the stride and land closer under your center of mass.
- Heel striking hard on sprints — on fast work you should be on the balls of the feet; a loud slap on each step means you are landing flat.
- Arms crossing the body — swing the arms front to back, not across the chest, and keep the hands relaxed.
- Going too fast too soon — sprints on cold legs are how hamstrings get pulled; build up through a few strides at 60, 70 and 80 percent before anything maximal.
Where it fits in a workout
Steady running goes on separate days or after lifting, while sprints and fast feet drills belong at the start of a session when you are fresh. A short block of sprints followed by broad jumps works well as an athletic warm-up.
How many sets, how heavy and how hard: see what the ACSM position stands support.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
When to talk to someone
- Chest discomfort, feeling faint or lightheaded, or trouble breathing during or after exercise can be signs of a heart attack. In the US, call 911 right away; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.
- Heart, metabolic or kidney disease, or symptoms like these when you are active: talk to your doctor before you start or step up training.
- Pregnant: ask your obstetric care provider which exercise suits you.
Track the Alternating Front Kicks in SetGrip
All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your history stays on your iPhone and in your private iCloud. Works with Apple Watch.
More exercises
Sources
- ACSM position stand on exercise quantity and quality (Garber et al., 2011)
- ACSM preparticipation health screening (Riebe et al., 2015)
- ACOG Committee Opinion No. 804 on exercise in pregnancy (2020)
- CDC: About Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery (2024)
Sources checked on October 17, 2026. Full citations are in the exercise library.
Animation and exercise data: ExerciseDB, licensed to SetGrip. General information, not medical or coaching advice.