10 Best Scissor Kick Alternatives for Home Workouts
If you can't do the Scissor Kick, replace it with moves that load the same lower-abs pattern while sparing your low back. Try Dead Bug, Reverse Crunch, Flutter Kicks, Leg Lowers, or Hollow Body Rocks. Cue a posterior pelvic tilt and keep the lower back pressed to the floor to emphasize rectus abdominis activation.
Original Exercise: Scissor Kick
How to Perform Scissor Kick
- To begin, lie down with your back pressed against the floor or on an exercise mat (optional). Your arms should be fully extended to the sides with your palms facing down. Note: The arms should be stationary the entire time.
- With a slight bend at the knees, lift your legs up so that your heels are about 6 inches off the ground. This is the starting position.
- Now lift your left leg up to about a 45 degree angle while your right leg is lowered until the heel is about 2-3 inches from the ground.
- Switch movements by raising your right leg up and lowering your left leg. Remember to breathe while performing this exercise.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Pro Tips
- Category: Stretching
- Force: Pull
- Movement type: Isolation
Best Scissor Kick Alternatives
1. Butt-ups
89.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands by your sides, palms facing down.
- Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
- At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
2. Cross Body Crunch
88.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground and twist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
3. Bent-Knee Hip Raise
88.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lay flat on the floor with your arms next to your sides.
- Now bend your knees at around a 75 degree angle and lift your feet off the floor by around 2 inches.
- Using your lower abs, bring your knees in towards you as you maintain the 75 degree angle bend in your legs. Continue this movement until you raise your hips off of the floor by rolling your pelvis backward. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the end of the movement your knees will be over your chest.
- Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement for a second and then return to the starting position slowly as you breathe in. Tip: Maintain a controlled motion at all times.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
4. Exercise Ball Crunch
88% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position).
- Lower your torso into a stretch position keeping the neck stationary at all times. This will be your starting position.
- With the hips stationary, flex the waist by contracting the abdominals and curl the shoulders and trunk upward until you feel a nice contraction on your abdominals. The arms should simply slide up the side of your legs if you have them at the side or just stay on top of your chest if you have them crossed. The lower back should always stay in contact with the ball. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- As you inhale, go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Decline Reverse Crunch
88% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on your back on a decline bench and hold on to the top of the bench with both hands. Don't let your body slip down from this position.
- Hold your legs parallel to the floor using your abs to hold them there while keeping your knees and feet together. Tip: Your legs should be fully extended with a slight bend on the knee. This will be your starting position.
- While exhaling, move your legs towards the torso as you roll your pelvis backwards and you raise your hips off the bench. At the end of this movement your knees will be touching your chest.
- Hold the contraction for a second and move your legs back to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
6. Dead Bug
87.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling.
- Bend your knees and lift your legs off the ground, creating a 90-degree angle at your hips and knees.
- Engage your core and lower back to press your lower back into the ground.
- Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground, keeping them straight and hovering just above the floor.
- Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
7. Crunch (on Stability Ball, Arms Straight)
84% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Lie back on the ball until your lower back is supported and your upper body is parallel to the floor.
- Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ball, curling your shoulders towards your hips.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
8. Crunch (on Stability Ball)
83.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Lie back on the ball until your lower back is supported and your upper body is parallel to the floor.
- Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body towards your knees, curling your torso forward.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
9. Cocoons
82.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Band Alternating V-up
82.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead, holding the band.
- Engage your abs and lift your legs and upper body off the ground simultaneously, reaching your hands towards your toes.
- As you lower your legs and upper body back down, switch the position of your legs, crossing one over the other.
- Repeat the movement, alternating the position of your legs with each repetition.
- Continue for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Scissor Kick Alternative
You might substitute Scissor Kicks because they aggravate the lumbar spine, overwork the hip flexors, or simply don’t match your training goal. Scissor Kicks rely on repeated hip flexion and can increase lumbar extension if you lose posterior pelvic tilt. Alternatives let you prioritize anti-extension control, reduce psoas dominance, or scale intensity for rehab or pregnancy. Choose exercises that maintain a flat lumbar spine and emphasize transverse abdominis and lower rectus abdominis activation—cue bracing and a tucked pelvis to control spinal shear and protect the waist.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on spinal tolerance, hip-flexor involvement, and your goal (endurance, stability, or hypertrophy). If your low back arches during leg lowers, pick Dead Bug or Hollow Hold to train anti-extension without hip-flexor drive. For more dynamic endurance, use Flutter Kicks with a slight knee bend to limit psoas recruitment. Prioritize cues: brace the TVA, maintain posterior pelvic tilt, and move slowly on the eccentric phase to increase time under tension and safer abdominal activation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Scissor Kick work?
Scissor Kicks primarily target the lower rectus abdominis and involve the hip flexors (iliopsoas) and obliques for stabilization. The movement is hip-dominant; keep the lower back pressed to the floor to maximize abdominal rather than psoas activation.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Scissor Kick?
The Dead Bug is the best bodyweight substitute for most people because it trains anti-extension and isolates the deep core without heavy hip-flexor involvement. Cue a posterior pelvic tilt, extend limbs slowly, and feel transverse abdominis engagement throughout each rep.
Can I build muscle without doing Scissor Kick?
Yes. Stimulate abdominal hypertrophy with progressive overload, tempo control, and higher time under tension using exercises like weighted crunches, slow leg lowers, or controlled hollow body rocks. Focus on full muscle contraction, slow eccentrics, and bracing to drive adaptation without that specific move.
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