The side leg lift engages the oblique abdominal muscles and promotes lengthening of all the major muscles. Focus on keeping your hips stacked and stable as you squeeze your glutes and lift your legs. Side leg lifts work the abdominals, especially the obliques, as well as the inner thighs. Lifting the legs together keeps the inner thighs and glutes engaged as the abdominals pulled in and up, developing core strength and balance.
How to:
- Lay on your side check you can see your toes then bring your head back into alignment
- Top arm either bent to support you or on a ball to add to the difficulty
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale and raise each leg individually, maintaining that core contraction
- Inhale and lower to the starting position
- Repeat 3 or 4 times
- Next Inhale to prepare
- Exhale and lift both legs together
- Raise your arm and place it along your leg
- Reach your arm over your head and back
- Inhae and lower legs
- Repeat 4 times
Muscle activation:
- Rectus abdominis
- Transversus abdominis
- Obliques (internal and external)