How to do the Single-Leg Elevated-Foot Hip Raise

If you’ve been dealing with low back pain, the single-leg hip raise might be your solution.

Extended periods of sitting causes one of your body’s largest muscle groups (your glutes) to shut off and the muscles on the front of your hips (your psoas) to become overactive. The combination of tight psoas and weak glutes increases both the strain on your spine and your risk for low back pain.

To counteract this, the single-leg hip raise not only turns your glutes back on and opens up your hips, but it also engages just about every muscle below your waist one leg at a time, helping you build strength as you iron out imbalances.

This hip raise exercise targets your glutes, quads, and core.

Here’s how to do it with perfect form.

Single-Leg Hip Raise: Step-by-Step Instructions

Lie face-up on the floor with your arms by your sides, your right foot on a bench (or other immovable object), and your left foot elevated.
Squeeze your glutes and push through your right foot, raising your hips until your body forms a straight line from your right knee to your shoulders.
Pause, then return to the starting position. Do equal reps on both legs.

Make It Easier

Perform the move with both feet on the bench, or lose the bench and place both feet flat on the floor.

Make It Harder

Trade the bench for a stability ball, which will increase muscle recruitment throughout your body to keep you stable and balanced. The more muscles you work, the more muscle you build.

Bonus tip: Brace your core (imagine you’re about to be punched in the gut, drawing your belly button toward your back) for the duration of each set. Keeping your core tight makes it harder for you to arch your back, minimizing the stress on your spine.

For a variation on this move, check out the Single Leg Bridge from the ABC Extreme workout in 21 Day Fix EXTREME.

Want more basic moves? Click here.