Exercise guide
Bosu Ball Alternate Heel Touch Side Kick Squat
- Advanced
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Hips
- Lower legs
- Waist
This advanced compound movement combines lower-body power with intense core stabilization, targeting the glutes and quads while using the heel touch and side kick to maximize oblique engagement.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Place the Bosu ball dome-side up on a flat, level surface.
- Carefully step onto the center of the dome with feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and find a neutral spine position with your arms held at chest height for balance.
How to do it
- Inhale and lower into a controlled squat, keeping your weight centered over the middle of the Bosu ball.
- At the bottom of the squat, rotate your torso to reach down and touch your right heel with your right hand.
- Exhale as you drive through your left leg to stand up, simultaneously performing a controlled side kick with your right leg.
- Return your right foot to the Bosu ball with control and repeat the sequence on the opposite side, alternating for the duration of the set.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest lifted and avoid rounding your lower back during the squat and heel touch.
- Ensure the knee of your standing leg tracks directly over your toes, preventing it from collapsing inward.
- Maintain a tight core throughout the transition from the heel touch to the side kick to stay balanced.
- Perform the side kick with a flexed foot, leading with the heel rather than the toes.
Pro tips
- Focus your eyes on a fixed point at eye level to help maintain equilibrium on the unstable surface.
- Squeeze the glute of the standing leg as hard as possible during the side kick to create a 'pillar' of stability.
- Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of the squat to increase time under tension and improve proprioception.
Make it harder
- Hold a medicine ball or light dumbbell at chest height to increase the resistance and core demand.
- Flip the Bosu ball over (platform-side up) to significantly increase the stability challenge for the ankles and core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat work?
- The bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs, deltoids, obliques, and rotator cuff as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat?
- The bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat uses bosu ball.
- Is the bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat good for beginners?
- The bosu ball alternate heel touch side kick squat is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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