Cable Side Lying Floor Single Leg Kickback
Cable Side Lying Floor Single Leg Kickback Exercise Description
The cable side-lying floor single-leg kickback is a hip-extension exercise performed with a low-pulley cable while lying on your side. The primary mover is the gluteus maximus; the hamstrings assist, and the gluteus medius/minimus and deep hip rotators help stabilize the pelvis. The side-lying position creates a stable base, making it easier to keep a neutral spine and stacked hips so the motion stays at the hip rather than the low back. The cable’s constant resistance challenges both the backward drive and the controlled return. This setup helps reduce common compensations like lumbar extension and trunk rotation, promoting precise, unilateral glute work without balance demands. Move through a comfortable, pain-free range, keeping ribs down, core lightly braced, and the top leg tracking straight in line with your torso.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Gluteus Minimus, Obturator Internus, Piriformis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Cable
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes
- Movement Direction: Horizontal
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Cable Side Lying Floor Single Leg Kickback Exercise
‘- Set a low pulley at ankle height and attach an ankle cuff to your top leg.
– Lie on your side, perpendicular to the stack, on a mat. Support your head with your bottom forearm.
– Bend the bottom knee for stability; keep the top leg long and in line with your torso.
– Stack hips and shoulders; brace gently to maintain a neutral spine and neck.
– Position the top foot slightly in front of the hip to take up slack. Toes forward, foot dorsiflexed, knee soft (not locked).
– Exhale and drive the heel straight back from the hip until the thigh is just behind your torso. Keep pelvis stacked—no arching or rolling.
– Pause briefly, maintaining tension, then inhale and return the leg forward with control to the start.
– Keep motion smooth; avoid swinging, turning the toes out, or letting the cable pull you forward.
– Ensure the cable has a clear line of pull in line with your ankle; reposition your body if it rubs.
– Switch sides to train both hips.
Cable Side Lying Floor Single Leg Kickback Tips
‘- Bend your bottom knee for stability while keeping your top leg long and in line with your torso.
– Stack your hips and shoulders and keep a gentle brace through your core to maintain a neutral spine and neck.
– Keep your ribs down and focus on moving only at the hip, not the low back.
– Position your top foot slightly in front of your hip to take up cable slack before starting the kickback.
– Keep your toes pointing forward, foot dorsiflexed, and knee soft rather than locked.
– Drive your heel straight back from the hip until your thigh is just behind your torso, keeping the pelvis stacked without arching or rolling.
– Pause briefly at the end of the kickback to maintain tension before returning.
– Control the return forward, avoiding any swinging or letting the cable pull your leg.
– Keep the motion smooth and avoid turning the toes out during the movement.
– Make sure the cable runs in a clear line with your ankle and reposition your body if it rubs.
Cable Side Lying Floor Single Leg Kickback Beginner Introduction
The cable side-lying floor single-leg kickback is a cable-based hip extension movement done on the floor with the body on its side. The working leg is attached to a low pulley by an ankle cuff, so resistance is present as the leg presses backward and as it returns forward. This setup centers the effort on the glutes, with help from the hamstrings, while smaller muscles around the hips assist in keeping the pelvis steady.
Because the body rests on the floor, the position offers a solid base that supports a natural curve through the back and aligned shoulders and hips. The top leg moves in line with the torso, encouraging motion to come mainly from the hip joint instead of the lower back. The cable’s steady pull encourages deliberate, smooth repetitions and reduces the need for balance, highlighting one side of the glutes at a time. A lightly engaged midsection and quiet upper body help the exercise feel controlled and precise through a comfortable, pain-free range.