FOOD & FITNESS FRIDAY: Side Leg Raise

You may never want to skip leg day again with these side leg raises that take your fitness game up a notch. By adding these leg exercises into your routine, you’ll be shaping and strengthening your hips, thighs, and backside.

Side leg raises involve abducting, or pushing away, the leg from your midline. It’s a great and simple way to build strength in the outer thighs and the hip abductors, which includes the gluteus medius and minimus. You can do it lying down or standing using just your body weight. This makes it easy to sneak in a few reps pretty much anywhere.

Muscles at work

The gluteus maximus, one of the strongest muscles in the body, is usually the most well-known muscle of the derrière. This means that the gluteus medius can sometimes get overlooked, even though it plays a very important role as the muscle responsible for stabilization of the hip.

Side leg raises targets this muscle primarily, which leads to several benefits, including:

better range of motion in the hips

better body stabilization

use of muscles that aren’t usually active in those who sit for prolonged periods each day

improved muscle endurance

Strengthening these muscles through side leg raises can also help prevent injury and pain with the hip, knees, and lower back.

If your hips are tight, you may benefit from lying on a mat for extra support.

Lie down on your right side on a mat or the floor. Your body should be in a straight line with your legs extended and feet stacked on top of each other.

Place your arm straight on the floor under your head or bend your elbow and cradle your head for support. Place your left hand out front for extra support or let it rest on your leg or hip.

As you exhale, gently raise your left leg off the lower leg. Stop raising your leg when you feel the muscles flex in your lower back or obliques.

Inhale and lower the leg back down to meet the right leg. Stack your feet again.

Repeat 10-12 times, then switch to the other side.

Avoid raising your leg too high throughout the exercise. Lower it when you start to feel pressure in the lower back or obliques.

Keep your core tight during the exercise as this helps relieve some of the pressure on your lower back.

Try to:

Remember to breathe throughout the exercise. You can inhale while lifting the leg and exhale as you lower, or the other way around.

Take breaks and hydrate as needed.

Know your limit and stop when necessary.

View videos online that can help you perfect your form or seek out the help of a trainer for in-person guidance and personalized tips.

To make side leg raises harder:

add ankle weights

use resistance bands or tubes

use both weights and resistance bands

add in a side plank while you do your leg raises

Weights go around your ankles and the resistance bands can be placed around your thighs. There are varying levels of resistance bands.