Welcome to our weekly Move of the Week series. Every Monday, we’ll be sharing with you one of our favourite exercises – how to do them, what muscles they work and why they should be a regular part of your workout regime. This week: scissor kicks.

We’re all obsessed with pilates right now, and for good reason. You only need to see regular pilates fans walking around to see how pilates improves posture and strength, even if they work a desk job. Put someone who does a weekly class next to a weights fiend and it’s hard to say who’d win in a press-up competition or body-weight challenge. It’s a practice brimming with science-backed benefits. 

And one exercise you’ll find in most pilates classes is scissor kicks. The bodyweight move might look super-simple but trust us, just a few seconds is long enough to feel the burn.

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What are scissor kicks?

Scissor kicks (or scissors) are a core-blasting exercise that targets those deep transversusabs. It’s great because it:

Targets every part of the core: unlike crunches and sit-ups, this move works the sides, surface and deep core muscles.

Is low-impact: all you’re moving are your legs – everything else stays glued to the floor.

Can be regressed or progressed easily: if you want to make the move harder, try keeping the legs glued together while keeping your lower back pressed to the floor. To make it easier, put something under your lower back and lift your legs higher – the move is harder the closer your legs are to the ground.

What muscles are working?

This pilates move is core-focused but also works other muscles:

• rectus abdominis (six pack muscles)
• obliques (side core)
• transverse abdominis (deep core)
• hip flexors
• quads
• glutes
• adductors (muscles on the insides of your thighs)

How to do scissor kicks

1. Lie flat on your back.
2. Place your hands on the ground under your coccyx for support while pressing your lower back into the floor.
3. Gently lift both feet off the floor a couple of inches, keeping your legs straight.
4. Start to flutter the legs – lifting your right leg higher, then the left. 
5. Keep both legs off the floor the whole time, making sure to keep your back pressed into the ground and core engaged.
6. Flutter for 30 seconds, then take a break.
7. To make it harder, bring your legs closer to the ground. To make it easier, lift them higher.

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Images: Stylist

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