Lying Leg Raise To Side

Lying Leg Raise To Side Exercise Description

The Lying Leg Raise to Side is a bodyweight core-control drill performed supine that combines a straight-leg raise with controlled side-to-side movement. It emphasizes the abdominal wall—especially the obliques—for trunk rotation control, with the hip flexors assisting to maintain the raised-leg position. The hip adductors and abductors contribute as stabilizers as the legs move through the frontal and transverse planes. The goal is smooth, deliberate motion while keeping the pelvis level and the shoulders anchored, minimizing lumbar spine movement. Use a comfortable range that allows you to maintain a braced, neutral spine (avoid arching) and steady contact of the low back and ribcage with the floor. This exercise helps practice coordinated lumbopelvic control and hip mobility under light load using only body weight.

Muscle Groups: Abs, Obliques, Waist
Target Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques
Assisting Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major
Stabilizing Muscles: Adductor Longus, Gluteus Medius, Quadratus Lumborum, Transversus Abdominis
Body Area: Upper Body
Body Parts: Core
Body Surface: Side
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Bodyweight
Exercise Patterns: Other
Exercise Type: Stretching
Functional Grouping: Trunk Lateral Flexors, Trunk Rotators
Joint Involvement: Other
Muscle Location: Deep Side Abs, Side Abs
Movement Direction: Rotational
Muscle Position: Lateral
Gender: Female

How To Do The Lying Leg Raise To Side Exercise

‘- Lie on your back with arms out to the sides (palms down) for a broad base; head and ribcage relaxed on the floor.
– Brace your abdomen as if preparing for a cough; maintain a neutral lumbar position (avoid arching).
– Bring legs together and extend knees comfortably; a slight bend is fine if hamstrings are tight.
– Raise both legs until thighs are near vertical without letting the pelvis tuck or the tailbone lift markedly.
– Keeping legs together, slowly lower them as a unit to one side; keep both shoulders and the back of the pelvis heavy on the floor.
– Stop when you feel the pelvis start to roll or the low back begin to lift; pause briefly.
– Exhale and use the obliques to draw the legs back to center without swinging.
– Repeat to the other side with the same controlled arc.
– Keep the movement smooth and quiet; avoid momentum, breath-holding, or letting one knee drift ahead of the other.
– When finished, lower the legs to the floor with control.

Lying Leg Raise To Side Tips

‘- Lie with arms out to the sides, palms down, to create a broad, stable base.
– Brace your abdomen as if preparing for a cough before and during the movement.
– Maintain a neutral lumbar position, keeping the low back and ribcage in steady contact with the floor.
– Keep legs together and extended comfortably, allowing a slight knee bend if your hamstrings are tight.
– Raise your legs only until the thighs are near vertical, avoiding pelvic tuck or a marked tailbone lift.
– As you lower the legs to the side, keep both shoulders and the back of the pelvis heavy on the floor.
– Stop the side-lowering motion as soon as you feel the pelvis start to roll or the low back begin to lift.
– Exhale and use your obliques to draw the legs back to center without swinging.
– Keep the movement smooth and quiet, avoiding momentum and preventing one knee from drifting ahead of the other.
– When finished, lower the legs all the way to the floor with control.

Lying Leg Raise To Side Beginner Introduction

The Lying Leg Raise to Side is a bodyweight core exercise performed on the floor that blends a straight-leg lift with gentle sideways movement. The legs travel together as one unit, while the middle of the body stays calm and controlled. The main work goes through the abs and side abs as they guide the legs side to side and resist twisting through the lower back. The hip flexors help hold the legs up, and the inner and outer thighs act as helpers to steady the legs as they move.

This drill highlights slow, steady motion rather than big range or speed. The idea is that the hips move while the lower back and ribcage remain closely connected to the ground, with the shoulders relaxed and settled. Because it uses only body weight and a comfortable arc of motion, it offers a gentle way to build awareness of how the hips, pelvis, and spine coordinate, while also challenging core stability and controlled rotation.