Spider Kick

Spider Kick Video

Springload:

⚫️ 1 Black

Duration:

2 minutes +/-

Regression:

  • move front foot forward on platform
  • lower springload

Progression:

add additional springs

3-POINT SET-UP:

  1. Hop into tabletop/quadruped position facing the side of the studio

  2. Externally rotate hip of prime moving leg

  3. Place heel/midfoot on edge of front platform

Body Part • Direction • Action Verb:

  • Brace your core and maintain your tabletop position as you PUSH the carriage away from the front platform by EXTENDING your primary moving leg.

Range of Motion:

  • Push the carriage away, stopping right before moving leg knee fully locks out. Resist carriage back in, stopping before moving leg knee touches your shoulder/tricep or before carriage returns to platform.

 Kinetic Checkpoints:

HEAD:

SAME AS PLANK

SHOULDERS:

❌ Shrugging shoulders forward (scapular elevation) and shifting weight forward, allowing shoulder to come past wrists

❌ Depressing shoulders down as far as possible (scapular depression). Visual clues: shoulders appear rounded or sloped downwards. Can cause a strain on the neck.

✅ Keep shoulders packed and anchored into lats in a neutral position throughout range of motion and slightly behind your wrists.

HIPS:

❌ Anterior Pelvic tilt. Visual cues: Lower back arch. Potentially hyper extended neck.

❌ Posterior Pelvic Tilt. Visual cues: Hips tucked up. Rounding of lower back.

❌ Prime moving leg hip internally rotated. Visual clues: Potential posterior pelvic tilt

❌ Stabilizing knee directly underneath hip (higher chance of weight shifting as prime moving leg pushes carriage away)

✅ Hips remain frozen in a neutral position throughout range of motion.

✅ Prime moving leg hip remains externally rotated

✅ Slight external rotation of stabilizing leg so that torso remains parallel to carriage/ground throughout range of motion.

KNEES:

✅ Keep knee of prime moving leg tracking directly over foot as your resist carriage in.

FEET:

✅ Moving leg foot placed forward near edge of front platform

✅ Keep contact with platform with the mid-foot / heel of prime moving leg

Talking Points:

  • By having the prime moving leg positioned to push against the front platform instead of the high bar makes it easier for clients to remain in a neutral pelvis/spine throughout range of motion.

  • A good cue for spider kicks is to imagine “the crown of the head reaching forward as the tailbone reaches back” to help maintain / lengthen spine.

  • In comparison to some of the other heavy leg exercises, clients will most likely be able to go a bit heavier on spider kicks.

Common Mistakes.