Banded Side Leg Raise

Banded side leg raises are a fantastic exercise to strengthen your hip abductors and glutes. By adding a resistance band, you increase muscle activation, making the exercise more challenging. This exercise is ideal for building strength in the hips and improving your stability, which is crucial for preventing injuries and enhancing your overall mobility.

Correct form and technique

Here’s how to perform banded side leg raises correctly:

  1. Place a resistance band just above the ankles or knees, depending on your resistance level.
  2. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart, and hold onto a stable surface for balance if necessary.
  3. Keep your body stable and slowly lift one leg out to the side while keeping it straight.
  4. Lower the leg back to the starting position in a controlled manner without losing tension in the band.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs.
Common mistakes

Avoid these mistakes when performing banded side leg raises:

  • Leg lifting too high: Ensure that the leg does not lift higher than the hip to prevent using your back muscles instead of your hips.
  • Hip rotation: Keep the hip stable to target the muscles correctly and avoid injury.
  • Too fast movements: Lift and lower the leg slowly to maximize muscle activation and prevent momentum from doing the work.

Modifications and variations

Try these variations to adjust the difficulty of banded side leg raises:

  • easier version: Remove the resistance band and perform the movement without any additional resistance if you are a beginner.
  • harder version: Use a tighter resistance band for increased resistance, or perform the exercise with your legs extended and lift higher for greater activation.
  • Side-lying variation: Lie on your side with the band around your thighs, and lift the top leg to focus on the glutes.

Repetitions and sets

To strengthen your hips and glutes, you can perform 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions on each leg. Gradually increase the resistance by using thicker bands or more repetitions as you get stronger.

Breathing tips

Inhale breath in when lifting the leg, and exhale when lowering it back down. This will help you maintain control and stability throughout the movement.

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