Exercise guide
Alternate Heel Touch Side Kick Squat
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
This dynamic compound exercise combines a standard squat with a lateral kick and a core-engaging heel touch, effectively targeting the lower body while challenging balance and oblique strength. It builds functional stability and explosive power through the hips and core by integrating multi-planar movement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward.
- Keep your chest upright, shoulders back, and core engaged.
- Position your hands in front of your chest or at your sides for balance.
How to do it
- Inhale as you lower into a squat by pushing your hips back and down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Exhale and drive through your heels to stand up, shifting your weight onto your left leg.
- Perform a controlled side kick with your right leg while simultaneously reaching your left hand across your body to touch your right heel.
- Return to the starting stance and immediately descend into the next squat, then repeat the kick and heel touch on the opposite side.
Form checklist
- Keep your weight in your heels and your chest up during the squat phase.
- Ensure the knee of the standing leg remains stable and aligned with the toes during the kick.
- Avoid rounding your lower back when reaching for the heel; move from the hips and obliques.
- Maintain a fluid, controlled tempo rather than using momentum to swing the leg.
Pro tips
- Focus on a sharp 'snap' at the peak of the side kick to maximize glute medius and oblique engagement.
- Keep the standing leg slightly bent during the kick to maintain better balance and constant tension in the quadriceps.
- Exhale forcefully at the moment of the heel touch to deepen the contraction of the abdominal wall.
Make it harder
- Add a vertical jump (squat jump) between the alternating kicks to increase power output and heart rate.
- Hold a light dumbbell in each hand to increase the resistance on the legs and the core during the rotation.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the alternate heel touch side kick squat work?
- The alternate heel touch side kick squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, adductors, hip flexors, and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the alternate heel touch side kick squat?
- The alternate heel touch side kick squat requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the alternate heel touch side kick squat good for beginners?
- The alternate heel touch side kick squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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- 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Air Pillow Balance Counterbalanced Skater SquatAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps