hip focus
Side-Lying Leg Lift
Strengthens the muscles on the outside of the hip that keep the pelvis level when you walk. Done lying on your side, so it suits pregnancy.
Key cue: Hips stacked, heel leading: lift to hip height and lower slowly.
Area
hip
Level
beginner
Volume
3 × 10/side
Goal
recovery
How to do it
- 1Lie on your side with a pillow under your head and your bottom knee bent for balance.
- 2Keep the top leg straight, in line with your body.
- 3Lift it slowly to about hip height, heel leading.
- 4Lower slowly. Switch sides after each set.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Bend the bottom knee for stability and lift the top leg only a hand's width.
- Harder
- Hold the top leg up for 3 seconds at the top of each lift, or loop a light resistance band around your thighs.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Pelvic girdle painHip weaknessKnee drifting inwards when you walk
Part of these condition plans
Where it fits in the step-by-step plans on our condition pages.
Benefits
- Strengthens the side of the hip
- Steadies the pelvis when walking and on stairs
- No weight through the back or wrists
Muscles worked
Strengthening. Strengthens your glute medius, hip abductors and core.
Glute mediusHip abductorsCore
Form tips
- Keep your hips stacked; don't roll backwards.
- A pillow under your bump makes it more comfortable in later pregnancy.
Common mistakes
- Rolling the hips back to lift higher.
- Swinging the leg.
When to avoid or modify
- Pain at the front of the pelvis (pubic bone): keep the lift small
- Hip replacement: check the positions you have been given
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.