Outside Leg Kick Push-up
advanced strength exercise · body weight · targets glutes
- Body part
- upper legs
- Primary target
- glutes
- Equipment
- body weight
- Difficulty
- advanced
The outside leg kick push-up is an advanced push-up variation that adds a unilateral leg movement on each rep. After completing a standard push-up, you lift one leg and kick it out to the side (away from the centerline of the body) before lowering and repeating with the other leg. The combination loads the chest and triceps through the push-up while training the glutes, hip abductors, and obliques through the leg kick. This is similar to the push-up inside leg kick but kicks the leg outward instead of inward. The outward direction creates a slightly different glute and abductor demand — the gluteus medius and tensor fasciae latae work harder, while the inner thigh adductors aren't involved. The result is an exercise that builds lateral hip strength alongside pressing work. It's an advanced exercise that requires significant baseline strength to perform productively. Most trainees who can do 20+ standard push-ups can manage only 4-6 strict outside leg kick push-ups per side in their first attempts. The added coordination cuts usable rep count significantly compared to standard push-ups, but builds qualities those don't.
Why train the Outside Leg Kick Push-up?
- Adds glute medius and abductor work to a movement that's traditionally upper-body only.
- Trains anti-rotation core strength in a different pattern than inside leg kick variations.
- Builds coordination between independent upper and lower body actions.
- Reveals balance asymmetries between left and right sides.
- Useful for athletes whose sport requires lateral hip strength (basketball, soccer, fighting).
- Requires no equipment.
How to do the Outside Leg Kick Push-up: step by step
- 1Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- 2Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- 3As you push back up, kick one leg out to the side, extending it fully and engaging your glutes.
- 4Return your leg to the starting position and repeat the push-up, alternating legs with each repetition.
- 5Continue alternating leg kicks and push-ups for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles worked
Primary
glutes
Secondary
quadriceps, hamstrings, calves
Common mistakes to avoid
Twisting the hips during the kick
When you kick a leg outward, the body wants to rotate. Brace the abs hard and keep the hip points facing the floor throughout the kick. Hip rotation defeats the purpose.
Bending the knee of the kicking leg
Letting the knee bend reduces the abductor and glute work. Keep the knee straight throughout the kick — the leg should remain a stiff lever.
Kicking too high too fast
Trying to kick the leg high makes the rotation challenge impossible. Start with small kicks (6-12 inches off the floor) and build height as control improves.
Cutting depth on the push-up to manage the kick
Maintain full depth (chest near the floor) on every rep. Partial push-ups undermine the pressing benefit.
Choosing this before mastering standard push-ups
Build to 20+ strict push-ups before attempting outside leg kicks. Without that base, the coordination demand becomes overwhelming.
Easier and harder variations
Easier
Do the push-up and the leg kick separately (one push-up, lift each leg out to the side from the plank position, drop into the next push-up). Or perform from a knee-supported position.
Harder
Hold each kicked-out leg position for 2-3 seconds before returning. Add a leg lift on the same side as the kicking arm of the next rep. Or progress to single-leg push-ups (one foot stays elevated through entire reps).
Alternative exercises
Push-up inside leg kick
Same exercise concept with the leg kicking inward instead of outward. Different glute and inner thigh emphasis.
Plank fire hydrant
From a high plank, lift one knee out to the side. Trains the same outward hip pattern without the push-up.
Single-leg push-up
One foot stays elevated through the entire push-up. Same anti-rotation demand without the leg kick.
How to program the Outside Leg Kick Push-up into your training
Outside leg kick push-ups work as accessory pressing or unilateral hip work, not as a primary chest exercise. Sets and reps: 3 sets of 4-8 reps per side with 60-90 seconds rest. Total weekly volume of 12-25 reps per side. In an upper body session: 4 sets of 8 push-ups (main pressing), 3 sets of 5 outside leg kick push-ups per side (lateral hip work), 4 sets of 8 inverted rows (balanced pulling), 3 sets of 30-second hollow holds (core). For athletes building lateral hip strength: alternate weeks between outside leg kick push-ups and other lateral hip work like Cossack squats or lateral lunges. Do not pair with heavy bilateral pressing in the same session — the cumulative shoulder load is excessive.
Recovery and frequency
Outside leg kick push-ups load the chest, shoulders, glutes, and obliques. 48-72 hours between sessions is the right cadence. Lateral hip soreness in the first 1-2 weeks is normal. Watch for sharp shoulder pain — back off if it appears.
Frequently asked questions
How many sets and reps of outside leg kick push-ups should I do?
3 sets of 4-8 reps per side with 60-90 seconds rest.
How often should I train outside leg kick push-ups?
1-2 times per week with 48-72 hours between sessions.
Outside leg kick vs inside leg kick push-up: what's the difference?
Outside kicks the leg away from the body's centerline, training the glute medius and abductors. Inside kicks the leg toward the centerline, training inner thighs and obliques differently. Both are useful — alternate between them in programming.
Should I count one rep as both sides or each side separately?
Each side separately. Counting per side reveals asymmetries.
Why is one side harder?
Hip and trunk asymmetry — almost everyone has it. The dominant side is usually slightly stronger. The asymmetry typically narrows within 6-12 weeks of equal-rep practice.
Are outside leg kick push-ups good for chest growth?
Less effective than focused chest exercises. The complexity cuts the rep counts you can accumulate. Use them for lateral hip and anti-rotation core benefits, not chest building.
Useful tools for this exercise
Build a workout with the Outside Leg Kick Push-up
Puna gives you guided bodyweight workouts you can do anywhere — no equipment, no gym, just structured progressions that build real strength.
