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In and Out to Scissors

Seated in-and-outs paired with lying scissor kicks: the first half drills knee drive, the second keeps both legs hovering while they cross in alternation. It fits trainees building toward harder long-lever core work, because the scissors teach the abs to hold position while the legs move independently. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Abs · rectus abdominis Hip flexors · iliopsoas Obliques Deep core · transverse abdominis

Sets & reps by goal

Goal	Sets × Reps	Rest
Strength	4 × 5–6 in-and-outs + 10 s scissors	90 s – 2 min
Muscle	3–4 × 9–12 in-and-outs + 20 s scissors	60–90 s
Endurance	3 × 15–20 in-and-outs + 30 s scissors	45–60 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Beginner

Beginner entry point, but the hovering scissor half punishes a weak brace quickly.

Proper form — 5 cues

For the in-and-outs, balance on the sit bones with the torso leaned back and chest tall.
Drive the knees in until they nearly touch the chest, then extend the legs long and low.
Transition by lying back with both legs hovering — do not let them rest on the floor.
Scissor with straight legs, one over the other, small and fast rather than wide and wild.
Keep the hands under the hips or flat beside you if the lower back starts to lift.

Breathing: Steady rhythm — exhale on each knee drive, then keep breathing shallowly through the scissors.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Scissoring too wide. Big sweeping kicks rock the pelvis side to side, and the obliques lose control of the movement. Fix: Shrink the crossover to shin-width; speed and control beat range here.

Resting the legs down at the transition. Ab tension resets to zero, which defeats the point of pairing the moves. Fix: Keep the heels hovering as you lie back — the hand-off should be seamless.

Rounding the upper back hard during in-and-outs. A collapsed chest shifts the work to the hip flexors and strains the neck. Fix: Lean back from the hips with a proud chest; think hinge, not slump.

Common questions

Scissors vs flutter kicks — what is the difference?

Flutter kicks move the legs up and down in the sagittal plane; scissors cross them over each other horizontally. Both keep the abs under constant long-lever tension, but scissors add a side-to-side stability demand that flutters do not. This combo uses scissors precisely for that extra control element.

Can I do this with a sore lower back?

Treat hovering-leg work with caution when the back is complaining. Raise the leg height, slide the hands under the hips, or swap the scissor half for bent-knee marches. If any version reproduces pain rather than muscular effort, leave it out and get the back assessed.

How long should the scissor portion last?

Ten controlled seconds is a fair starting block after a set of in-and-outs. Build toward 30 seconds before you extend the legs lower, since dropping the heels closer to the floor raises the difficulty far faster than adding time does.

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