Edit: nvm i figured it out, i needed to apply the ik bone constraint to the leg, not the handle to control the leg.
Following the animating/rigging course I managed to get the IK bone constraint to not work at all.
The rigging IK video in the Blender Animation & Rigging: Bring Your Creations To Life course.
Posted my video of the error/bug. What are some potential causes? Normally grant covers how to address common issues but this one wasnt covered and google didnt return anything helpful. and chatgpt wasnt even in the ballpark of being helpful.