Heel slide
Also called supine heel slide, abdominal heel slide.
What is a heel slide?
A heel slide is a floor drill in which one heel slides away and returns while you keep your trunk steady. For abdominal control, keep the moving heel supported throughout. The leg moves while the abdominal wall helps hold your chosen back and pelvic position.
How do you perform a heel slide?
Set up
- Settle onto your back with your knees bent, feet planted and arms relaxed beside you.
- Find a comfortable back position and gently firm your abdomen while continuing to breathe.
Execution
- Move one heel away along the floor, letting that knee gradually open.
- End the slide before your back starts to arch or your pelvis moves; a short slide is enough.
- Draw the heel back to your starting spot, then change legs.
Common mistakes
Lifting the moving heel
Keep it supported for this version. Hovering the leg changes the exercise, so shorten the slide if keeping contact is difficult.
Chasing a completely straight knee
Stop at the reach you can repeat with a steady trunk. Full leg extension is optional.
Bracing so hard that breathing stops
Ease the tension and use a shorter movement. You should be able to breathe through each repetition.
Where it fits in a session
Use as a chosen abdominal-control drill in a session you can manage comfortably.
Choose a short set that leaves breathing and movement controlled. Keep the starting position and range consistent before adding repetitions. Record any variation in the set notes.
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
- None listed in this guide
Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.
Abdominal targets describe the trunk-control task, not isolation or a ranking of muscle activation. The leg movement and the steadying work are different roles.
Variations
- Short-range heel slide — Use the same supported setup with a smaller slide.
Articles
Frequently asked questions
Which muscles does a heel slide use?
The abdominal wall, including the transversus abdominis and obliques, contributes to keeping the trunk steady in this version. The muscle list describes that control task; it does not mean the moving leg is powered by the abdominals or that one muscle works alone.
Is this the same as a heel slide for knee rehabilitation?
The leg action can look similar, but the purpose here is keeping the trunk steady during a supported slide. A knee rehabilitation plan may use different starting positions, assistance and range targets. Follow that plan if it was prescribed for your knee.
Does my lower back need to be pressed flat?
Use a comfortable, repeatable position rather than forcing your back down. Keep it from changing as the heel moves. A shorter slide is a useful adjustment.
How should I count heel slides?
Count one slide out and back as one repetition on that side. Record the reach and whether the heel stayed supported so that later sets are comparable.
Can I use this after pregnancy?
Choose a version that fits your recovery and any advice from your maternity or pelvic-health team. Stop if the movement brings on pain, urine or bowel leakage, or pelvic heaviness, and get advice for symptoms that persist or recur. Being able to perform this drill is not a test of readiness for harder training.
Sources
- Gordana Sendić, MD; reviewer Roberto Grujičić, MD. Transversus abdominis muscle. Kenhub. https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/transversus-abdominis-muscle
- Gordana Sendić, MD; reviewer Declan Tempany, BSc (Hons). Internal abdominal oblique muscle. Kenhub. https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/internal-abdominal-oblique-muscle
- Jana Vasković, MD; reviewer Declan Tempany, BSc (Hons). External abdominal oblique muscle. Kenhub. https://www.kenhub.com/en/library/anatomy/external-abdominal-oblique-muscle