How many reps of the front kickthrough should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per side, alternating sides smoothly, keeping the reps slow enough to control the leg thread rather than rushing the rhythm. Add reps first, and only pick up the pace once the movement stays clean at a slower speed.

How do you make the front kickthrough easier or harder?

Make it easier by pausing briefly with the foot planted forward before threading it back, rather than moving continuously. Make it harder by slowing the whole rep down under control, or by pairing it with the side kickthrough in an alternating flow sequence.

What is the front kickthrough good for?

It is a slightly more accessible switch than the side kickthrough, biasing the lower abs and hip flexors while still training single-arm shoulder stability, making it a good coordination drill for beginners moving on from static holds. It is a poor choice to rush through for reps, since the timing and rhythm it teaches matter as much as the muscles it works.

Intermediate

Front Kickthrough

The front kickthrough threads the leg forward beneath the body, keeping the hips lower and the load biased toward the lower abs and hip flexors while the shoulder holds a single-arm base. It is a slightly more accessible switch than the side version and a good coordination drill for beginners graduating from static holds. Use it to build the rhythm and timing that flow sequences require.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Balance, Functional
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique, Deltoid Anterior, Lower Rectus Abdominals

How to do it

1
Set up in a beast hold, knees hovering, hands under shoulders.
2
Lift the right hand and drive the left leg forward and across under the torso.
3
Let the hips rotate slightly as the foot slides through toward the opposite side.
4
Reach the free hand forward for counterbalance, keeping the eyes down.
5
Pull the leg back under the body and replace the hand to return to the beast.
6
Alternate sides smoothly for the prescribed reps.

Tips

Keep the traveling knee bent and the foot low so the leg passes cleanly under the hips.
Do not pike the hips upward; stay long through the spine as the leg threads.
Match your breathing to the rhythm, exhaling as the leg kicks through.

Variations

Common mistakes

The traveling foot catches on the ground or the opposite ankle instead of passing cleanly underneath, usually because the hips did not rotate quite enough to clear it.
Once the reaching arm drops low for counterbalance, the supporting shoulder loses its packed position and starts to round forward.
Straightening the traveling knee to reach further forward turns a compact thread into a long, uncontrolled kick.
The gaze lifts up to check progress instead of staying down, a common reason the hips creep upward mid-rep.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the front kickthrough should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per side, alternating sides smoothly, keeping the reps slow enough to control the leg thread rather than rushing the rhythm. Add reps first, and only pick up the pace once the movement stays clean at a slower speed.
How do you make the front kickthrough easier or harder?: Make it easier by pausing briefly with the foot planted forward before threading it back, rather than moving continuously. Make it harder by slowing the whole rep down under control, or by pairing it with the side kickthrough in an alternating flow sequence.
What is the front kickthrough good for?: It is a slightly more accessible switch than the side kickthrough, biasing the lower abs and hip flexors while still training single-arm shoulder stability, making it a good coordination drill for beginners moving on from static holds. It is a poor choice to rush through for reps, since the timing and rhythm it teaches matter as much as the muscles it works.

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