Wakeout pack — 13 exercises

Fun Kicks

Playful kicking movements that energize your legs and promote lower body circulation.

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30-second preview

Reach for this when…

Your legs feel sluggish and you want a playful standing cardio burst that gets you moving again.

Why this happens

Legs go sluggish for two reasons: circulation and engagement. Prolonged sitting or standing pools blood in the lower limbs because the calves stop pumping it back up. The calves are literally called a 'second heart' in circulatory physiology for this reason — rhythmic contraction of the gastrocnemius and soleus is what drives venous return when you're upright but still. Kicking solves both problems at once. Each kick fires the hip flexors (psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris), activates the quads and hamstrings, and the landing phase engages the calf pump that pushes blood back toward the heart. It's also more interesting than marching in place, which matters because sustainable movement is movement you'll actually do. This pack is a short cardio burst aimed specifically at the legs — playful kicks at varied heights and angles, standing, no equipment. Think afternoon circulation reset, not a real workout.

About this routine

Best when your legs feel heavy, numb, or sluggish — typical after a long meeting block, a flight, or a sedentary morning. Needs a bit of standing space, no equipment. Skip if you have a current knee or hip injury, or if kicking with any force aggravates a lower-back issue. Pregnancy-safe at low intensity, skip high kicks if balance is affected. Not medical advice; this is what the legs are asking for when they go sluggish.

The routine

13 exercises in this pack

Butt Kicks

Diagonal Kicks

Diagonal Stomps

Donkey Kicks

Foot Shakes

Forward Stomps

7 more in this pack

Unlock the full routine.

The iOS app plays all 13 exercises in order, with audio cues, countdown, and a streak that keeps you honest.

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Use this pack when you need to…

Built for these moments

Boost Energy

High-energy moves you can do seated or standing, like seated boxing and kicks, right at your desk when you need a lift.

Why this pack: Blood-pumping moves like Front Kicks, Side Kicks and Roundhouses give you a playful jolt of energy, right when your work break needs one.

Make Me Stand Up

Higher-intensity moves that get you up on your feet, from sit-to-stand flows to moves for your standing desk.

Why this pack: Every move here is a standing kick or stomp, so Forward Stomps and Butt Kicks become a cheerful reason to get up and get your blood pumping.

Activate My Legs

Higher-intensity leg moves, seated or standing, including kicks, sit-to-stands and office chair moves that put your legs to work.

Why this pack: Thirteen kicking and leg-energizing moves, from Butt Kicks to Donkey Kicks, wake your legs up quickly and get your lower body circulation flowing.

Engage My Hips

Hip exercises, leg stretches, kicks and Pilates-style moves that get your hips and legs happily in motion.

Why this pack: Roundhouses, Side Kicks and Diagonal Kicks send your legs in all directions, inviting your hips to join the fun with some lower body mobility.

Gain Mental Clarity

Cardio moves like punches, kicks, jumps and desk pumps that send oxygen through your blood and leave your head feeling clearer.

Why this pack: Cardio-style kicks and stomps get your heart going and pump oxygen through your blood, giving your head a fun little reset and a clearer moment.

Improve Mood

Playful moves for when your mood dips at work, from dancing to pretend punches, kicks and a little fun with your office chair.

Why this pack: Playful moves like Foot Shakes, the Mini Heel Kick and Roundhouses bring some silliness to your day, a joyful way to shake off a bit of stress.

Frequently asked

What people ask about fun kicks

How does kicking actually help leg circulation?

Each kick contracts the calf and thigh muscles, which compresses the veins and pushes blood upward against gravity — the mechanism is called the skeletal-muscle pump. When you're still for long periods, this pump stops working, blood pools in the lower limbs, and the legs feel heavy or numb. Rhythmic kicking restarts the pump and clears the pooled blood within a couple of minutes. It's the same mechanism behind 'walk around every hour' advice on long flights.

Why kicks specifically instead of squats or marching?

Kicks move through a bigger range than marching and fire the hip flexors more aggressively — those are the muscles that shorten most from sitting. Squats are great but load the knees more and aren't always desk-friendly. Kicking covers the specific deficit created by long hip-flexed positions while also getting heart rate up quickly. If you're not in a kicking mood, funrobics or afternoon_recharge work too; the point is interrupting stillness with leg-specific movement.

Is funKicks good for people with knee issues?

It depends on the issue. Low, controlled kicks at small ranges are usually fine and may even help — controlled movement through a painless range typically beats immobility for most knee conditions. High, forceful, or ballistic kicks can aggravate patellofemoral pain or meniscus problems. If kicking at any range produces sharp pain, stop and try kneePainRelief instead, which is built for current knee discomfort rather than cardio.

How often can I do this in a workday?

Once or twice per half-day is a reasonable baseline — mid-morning and mid-afternoon, roughly the points where leg sluggishness tends to set in. It's short enough that you could do it hourly without overdoing it, but most people don't need that. If your job has you standing or sitting without variation for long stretches, funKicks on any cadence beats not moving; the only wrong frequency is zero.

Packs built for the same body, a slightly different moment.