Side Lying Leg Raise
Strengthen your hip abductors and obliques with the side lying leg raise. This bodyweight exercise targets outer thigh muscles, improving hip stability
Description
An exercise that primarily targets the hip abductors and oblique muscles. It involves lying on one side and lifting the top leg upwards while keeping it straight.
How to Do Side Lying Leg Raise
- 1Setup
Lie on your side with your body in a straight line, head supported by your bottom arm or hand, and your top hand on the floor in front of your chest for stability.
- 2Setup
Stack your hips and legs, keeping your top leg straight with your foot flexed and toes pointing forward or slightly down.
- 3
Exhale as you slowly lift your top leg directly upwards towards the ceiling, leading with your heel and keeping your knee straight.
- 4
Lift until you feel a strong contraction in your outer hip, ensuring your hips remain stacked and do not roll backward.
- 5
Inhale as you slowly lower your leg back down with control, stopping just before it rests on the bottom leg to maintain tension.
Tips
- Maintain a neutral spine by engaging your core throughout the movement, avoiding any arching in your lower back or rolling of the hips.
- Focus on a slow and controlled lift and lower, maximizing time under tension for better muscle engagement rather than using momentum.
- To emphasize the gluteus medius more, slightly point your toes down (internal rotation) as you lift your leg.
- Achieve a full range of motion by lifting your leg as high as you can without tilting your pelvis, then lowering it almost completely to maintain tension.
Common Mistakes
- ×Avoid letting your hips roll backward as you lift your leg; instead, keep your hips stacked and torso stable by engaging your core.
- ×Do not swing your leg up quickly using momentum; perform the movement slowly and deliberately to isolate the hip abductors effectively.
- ×Ensure you lift your leg high enough to feel a contraction and lower it almost completely without resting to maximize muscle activation, rather than using a too small range of motion.
Variations
Alternate Leg Raise
Strengthen your core and hip flexors with the Alternate Leg Raise. This bodyweight exercise targets the iliopsoas and rectus abdominis for improved
Standing Side Leg Raise
Strengthen your gluteus medius and obliques with the Standing Side Leg Raise. Improve hip stability, balance, and core control.
Lying Leg Raise and Hold
Strengthen your hip flexors and core with the Lying Leg Raise and Hold. Lift straight legs from the floor, hold them elevated, and control the descent for
Lying Leg Raise (Modified)
Strengthen your lower abs and hip flexors with the modified lying leg raise. Lie on your back, bend your knees, and lift them towards your chest, then
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Side Lying Hip Adduction (left)
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