5 Surprising Benefits of the Duck Walk Exercise That’ll Convince You to Add It to Your Routine

Lower body workouts can get monotonous–after all, you can only do so many squats, lunges, and deadlifts. If you’re looking to mix up your leg-day routine with some low-impact bodyweight work, you should consider trying the duck walk exercise.

The duck walk is all about lowering into a deep squat and "waddling" forward, like—you guessed it—a duck. “This move gives love to your quads, glutes, and hamstrings, while waking up your core and improving ankle and knee strength,” explains Keri Anderson, CPT, personal trainer at Life Time Plymouth in Minnesota. “It’s a full lower-body win that also gets your heart pumping. Don’t worry if it feels a bit silly; it’s a powerhouse move for strength and mobility.”

How to do the duck walk exercise

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and our hands clasped in front of your chest. 
2. Lower into a deep squat, keeping your chest tall and your weight grounded through your heels.
3. Step forward with one foot, staying in that low position, and follow with the other foot—like a slow-motion shuffle.
4. Keep going for a few steps or a set time—challenge yourself, but listen to your body.

“The main area where most exercisers will feel the duck walk is in their quads,” says Kaleigh Ray, CEP, an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist at Treadmill Review Guru. “The lower you are, the more you are working your calves as you really push your ankle range of motion. Your hip flexors and glutes are also working to keep you from collapsing through your hips and keep you moving forward.”

Benefits of the duck walk exercise

There are many benefits to adding duck walk exercises to your workout routine. 

1. It builds lower body strength and endurance

If you want stronger, more powerful legs, the duck walk delivers. “It keeps your muscles under constant tension, helping build strength and stamina. Whether you’re hiking up a hill, chasing your kids, or just crushing leg day, this move has your back—and your legs,” Anderson says. 

2. It's a great way to warm up for a squat

The duck walk is an unweighted exercise that activates the same muscle groups used when squatting. “Warming up primes your muscles for more challenging movements,” Ray says. “It can also help you get more depth in your squat.”

3. It improves mobility and flexibility

Duck walks are like a love letter to your hips, knees, and ankles. “By staying low and moving, you’re opening up those joints and giving them a chance to loosen up,” Anderson says. “It’s perfect if you’ve been sitting a lot or want to stay agile as you age.”

4. It boosts range of motion

The duck walk uses a range of motion in your hips, knees, and ankles—joints many exercisers may not be training with other moves. “It helps you improve your functional range of motion compared to static stretching, where you aren’t performing a dynamic movement,” Ray says. 

5. It enhances balance and coordination

These moves aren’t just about strength; it’s a brain workout, too. “Staying low while moving forward challenges your balance and coordination in a big way,” Anderson says. “You’ll feel more stable on your feet, whether you’re on the field, the dance floor, or just running errands.”

Common duck walk mistakes

It’s important to avoid these common mistakes while attempting the duck walk exercise to prevent injury.

1. Letting your heels lift off the ground

It’s easy to shift forward and let your heels pop up, but this puts unnecessary stress on your knees, explains Anderson. The fix? “Keep your weight grounded in your heels and midfoot, and think about pressing into the floor for stability. Practice holding a squat to get the feel before you move,” she says.

2. Improper foot position

If your toes point outward too far, you may place too much pressure along the inside arch of your foot, allowing it to collapse.  “This mistake often occurs when you don’t have the range of motion at the knee or ankle for the movement, so you ‘steal’ it from your foot,” Ray says. 

To correct it, she notes that you don’t sink as low in the squat and incorporate other exercises and stretches to improve your ankles’ range of motion. “This foot position is also common in exercisers with knee injuries,” Ray says. 

3. Rounding your back

If your shoulders hunch or your chest drops, you lose that strong, confident posture (and can strain your back). “Stay tall and proud by engaging your core, pulling your shoulders back, and imagining a string pulling your chest upward,” Anderson says. 

4. Tilting your pelvis

With any exercise, you want to have an active core. Even though this is primarily a lower-body exercise, the rest of your body should still be engaged. “Overly tilting your pelvis is likely a sign that you're pushing for a range of motion that you aren’t ready to hit,” Ray says. “Rise up to a point where you can do the duck walk with good posture.”

5. Cutting the squat too shallow

If you’re not squatting low enough, you’re missing the magic of the duck walk. “Don’t stress if you can’t go super deep at first,” Anderson says. “Work on your mobility and flexibility with stretches or modified squats, and let your body ease into the full movement over time. Progress is still progress!”

How to add it to your fitness routine

One of the best things about duck walks is that they're versatile and can fit into your routine in so many fun ways, according to Anderson.

• Warmup: Do a few waddles to fire up your legs and wake up your joints—10 to 15 seconds is all you need to feel ready to roll.
• Strength training: Add them to your lower-body day with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 meters (or 30 seconds) to really feel the burn.
• Circuit training: Pair duck walks with bodyweight exercises, like push-ups or lunges, for an amazing full-body workout.

However, the duck walk may not be a great exercise for certain people. “If you’ve got knee, hip, or back issues, this exercise might not be your best bet right now,” Anderson says. “Always listen to your body, and check in with a healthcare professional if you’re unsure—it’s better to play it safe.”