Side Lying Leg Raise
- Target muscle
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Body part
- Hips
- Type
- Strength
The side lying leg raise is a bodyweight floor exercise that targets the hip abductors by lifting the top leg laterally while lying on your side. It is a low-impact movement well suited for building hip stability, improving hip abductor strength, and activating the outer hip region without any equipment.
How to do the Side Lying Leg Raise
- 1Lie on your side on a flat surface with your body in a straight line from head to feet, stacking your hips directly on top of each other.
- 2Rest your head on your lower arm or prop it up with your hand for support, and place your top hand lightly on the floor in front of your torso to help maintain balance.
- 3Point your top foot slightly downward or keep it neutral, and ensure your toes face forward rather than toward the ceiling.
- 4Brace your core to keep your torso stable and prevent your hips from rocking backward as you lift.
- 5Exhale and raise your top leg upward in a controlled arc, leading with your heel, until it reaches roughly 45 degrees from the floor — or as high as you can go without your hips tilting.
- 6Pause briefly at the top of the movement, feeling the contraction along the outer hip.
- 7Inhale and lower your leg back down slowly until it is just above the bottom leg, maintaining tension rather than letting it drop.
- 8Complete all reps on this side, then roll over and repeat on the opposite side.
Form tips
- Stack your hips vertically and keep them still throughout the set — any backward roll shifts the load away from the hip abductors.
- Lead the lift with your heel rather than your toes to keep external rotation out of the movement and maintain a cleaner abduction path.
- Control the descent — lowering slowly increases time under tension and produces better results than dropping the leg between reps.
- Keep your bottom leg straight and grounded; do not let it drift or provide a platform for the top leg to push off.
- Breathe steadily and avoid holding your breath, which can cause unnecessary tension in the neck and shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Rolling the hips backward during the lift, which allows the hip flexors and lower back to assist and reduces the demand on the hip abductors.
- Raising the leg too high by compensating with a lateral tilt of the pelvis, turning it into a side bend rather than true hip abduction.
- Pointing the toes toward the ceiling by externally rotating the hip, which changes the angle of pull and shifts emphasis away from the intended outer-hip muscles.
- Losing core engagement between reps and letting the torso sag or shift, which destabilizes the pelvis and reduces exercise effectiveness.
- Using momentum to swing the leg up rather than lifting it under control, which shortens the effective range and bypasses the target muscles.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the side lying leg raise work?
The side lying leg raise primarily works the hip abductors — the muscles along the outer hip responsible for moving the leg away from the midline. Because no specific target or synergist muscles are isolated in isolation testing, the exercise is best described as a general hip abductor and outer-hip strengthener.
Is the side lying leg raise good for beginners?
Yes. It requires no equipment, uses only bodyweight, and the range of motion is easy to control. Beginners can start with 10–12 reps per side at a slow tempo and progress by adding more reps, sets, or a resistance band above the knee.
How do I make the side lying leg raise harder?
Loop a resistance band just above your knees to add external resistance, slow down the lowering phase to increase time under tension, or add a short pause at the top of each rep. Ankle weights are another option once bodyweight reps become easy.
How many reps and sets should I do?
A common starting point is 2–3 sets of 12–20 reps per side. Hip abductor exercises tend to respond well to moderate-to-higher rep ranges. Rest 30–60 seconds between sets and focus on quality of movement over rep count.
Can the side lying leg raise help with hip pain or instability?
Strengthening the hip abductors through exercises like this is often recommended as part of rehabilitation for hip instability, knee tracking issues, and certain lower-back complaints. However, if you have an existing injury or pain, consult a qualified healthcare professional before adding this or any new exercise.
