Side-Lying Leg Lifts: How to Do It and Muscles Worked

How to do the Side-Lying Leg Lifts

Lie on your side on a mat with your legs extended straight and stacked directly on top of each other. Rest your head on your bottom arm and place your top hand on the mat in front of your chest for balance.

1. Lengthen your spine to create a small space between your bottom waist and the mat.
2. Engage your core to keep your pelvis completely still.
3. Reach your top leg away from your head to create a long line.
4. Lift your top leg up toward the ceiling without letting your waist collapse.
5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
6. Lower your leg back down to the starting position with control.

• Breath. Teachers cue breathing differently, but a common pattern is to exhale as you lift the leg and inhale as you lower it. Alternatively, you might be instructed to inhale on the lift and exhale on the return.
• Where you feel it. You should feel the work in the side of your top hip and along your waistline. You should not feel pinching in your lower back or strain in your neck.
• How many. 8 to 12 controlled repetitions per side

Common mistakes

• Collapsing the waist. Keep your obliques and quadratus lumborum engaged to maintain a small gap between your bottom waist and the mat.
• Rolling the hips back. Keep your hip bones stacked directly on top of each other throughout the entire movement.
• Lifting the leg too high. Only lift the leg as high as you can while keeping your pelvis still and your spine neutral.
• Tensing the neck. Relax your upper body and let your bottom arm fully support the weight of your head.

Make it easier or harder

Easier

• Bend your bottom leg to a 90-degree angle for a wider base of support.
• Lift the top leg only a few inches off the bottom leg.
• Perform the movement with your back resting against a wall for tactile feedback and stability.

Harder

• Add small circles with the top leg after reaching the peak of the lift.
• Lift both legs slightly off the mat and perform the top leg lift from that hovering position.

Who should be careful

This is one of the gentler exercises in the repertoire, but the usual rule applies: work in a pain-free range and stop if something feels wrong.

Related exercises

• Clam Beginner
• Kneeling Side Kicks Intermediate to advanced
• Side Kick Series Beginner to intermediate
• Pilates Side Plank Intermediate
• Bent Knee Fall Out Beginner

This exercise is part of our pages on Pilates for Lower Back Pain, Pilates for Scoliosis, Pilates for Osteoporosis, Pilates for Seniors, Pilates During Pregnancy, Pilates for Knee Pain, Pilates for Hip Pain, Pilates for Arthritis, Pilates for Hypermobility, Pilates for Runners, Pilates During Menopause, Pilates for Balance.

When to see a doctor or physical therapist

• Sharp or shooting pain down your leg.
• A pinching sensation in your lower back.
• Sudden hip joint pain or clicking that causes discomfort.
• Numbness or tingling in your toes.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or are recovering from an injury or surgery, check with your own clinician before trying new exercises.

How we put this page together. Exercise data (type, level, equipment and muscles) was compiled by our editors from the classical mat order in Joseph Pilates’ 1945 book and from commonly taught mat repertoire. Muscle lists are a general anatomy guide; cueing differs between teachers. Text drafted with AI assistance and checked by the Editorial Team. See our editorial policy. Last checked October 2026.