I’ve been training for more than a decade and firmly believe that certain workout staples like squats, lunges, and bench presses should form the basis of every strength training routine. But when I was introduced to a new bodyweight move recently, I couldn’t resist giving it a go. And I was impressed with the results.
It’s called the side kick-through and it looks like a cross between a core-strengthening exercise and a breakdancing move. When I spoke to top trainer Hannah Eden recently she said this move helped to improve her mobility, protect her from injury and develop powerful mid-body muscles.
With this impressive testimony behind it, I decided to add the side kick-through into my weekly core workouts, and find out whether it lived up to the hype.
How to do the side kick-through
- Start in a tabletop position, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders, your weight spread evenly between your hands, knees and toes. You should have a flat back, vertical thighs and shins parallel to the floor
- Lift your knees so they hover about an inch off the floor.
- Lift your right foot off the floor then lift your left hand off the floor and turn your torso to your left.
- Kick your right leg through to your left side by extending it under your body. Your right foot should be pointing in the same direction as your left now.
- Reverse this motion to return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
Why I like the side kick-through
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1. It makes you move in different ways
The body moves in three planes of motion; sagittal (up, down, forward and backward), frontal (side-to-side) and transverse (twisting). Most strength exercises move predominantly in the sagittal plane, but that’s not the only way we move.
In daily life, we might have to twist quickly to grab something from a supermarket shelf or step to one side to make space on the sidewalk. If our bodies haven’t built up strength for…
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