Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick
- Primary muscleGlutes
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeCompound · Push
- Secondary muscles
- Quads, Hamstrings, Calves
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Prone
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Fully extending one leg out wide during the press demands more hip mobility and balance than the inside leg kick variant, which keeps the kick shorter. Load stays bodyweight only, so its value is coordination and glute drive under fatigue rather than raw pressing strength, and reps alternate legs.
How to do the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick
- Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- As you push back up, kick one leg out to the side, extending it fully and engaging your glutes.
- Return your leg to the starting position and repeat the push-up, alternating legs with each repetition.
- Continue alternating leg kicks and push-ups for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Screw your hands into the floor as if turning the fingers outward to set the shoulders before each set.
Muscles worked
Primary
Glutes · Legs
Squeezing the glutes locks the hips in line with the torso and stops the lower back from arching.
Secondary
Common mistakes
- Hips sagging or piked — the body should stay a straight line from head to heels; squeeze the glutes and brace the abs before each rep.
- Elbows flared to 90 degrees — flaring the arms out wide loads the shoulder joint; keep the elbows tucked to about 45 degrees from the torso.
- Cutting the bottom short — chest should come to within a fist of the floor; if that means fewer reps, do fewer reps.
- Head dropping first — the chin reaching for the floor makes it look like a rep when it is not; keep the head neutral and lead with the chest.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 × 6–12 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 12–20 | 60 s |
Push-ups work as a warm-up before bench press, as a finisher after chest work or as the main push exercise when training with no equipment. Superset them with inverted rows or a band pull-apart for balance.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Alternatives
Easier and harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick work?
The Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick primarily works the glutes. It also involves the quads, hamstrings and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick?
If you cannot do the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick, try the Push-Up with Inside Leg Kick, the Cobra Push-Up or the Spider Crawl Push-Up. Each of them trains the glutes through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Push-Up with Outside Leg Kick, a sensible starting point is strength: 4–5 × 3–6 with 2–3 min rest; muscle growth: 3–4 × 6–12 with 90–120 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 12–20 with 60 s rest. Put it early in the session while you are fresh, before isolation work for the same muscles.
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