Freestanding kick-ups

Skillsintermediaterepsno equipment

From a standing lunge with arms overhead, the body tips forward, the hands are placed on the floor, the straight back leg swings up and the bent front leg pushes off and follows, the legs meeting over the hips in a handstand; attempts are controlled and end by stepping back down to the lunge.

How to do it

1. Stand in a lunge: front (push) foot flat with the knee bent, back (kick) leg straight behind on the ball of the foot, arms straight overhead by the ears.
2. Tip forward as one piece and place both hands flat on the floor shoulder width, about one leg-length in front of the front foot; arms stay straight.
3. Swing the straight back leg up while the front leg pushes off the floor; the shoulders stack over the hands.
4. The push leg follows and joins the kick leg overhead; hold the balance briefly with straight body.
5. Come down by splitting the legs and stepping the push leg down first, then the kick leg, back into the lunge and stand up.

Muscles worked

Main: shoulders, glutes
Supporting: hamstrings, traps, triceps, forearms