Exercise guide
Standing Balance Side To Front Leg Raise
- Intermediate
- Isolation
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
This exercise builds core stability and hip mobility by challenging the obliques and hip flexors through a multi-planar leg raise. It improves balance and unilateral strength while isolating the lower abs and lateral core.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and hands on your hips or extended out to the sides for balance.
- Shift your weight onto your left leg, keeping a micro-bend in the knee to avoid locking out.
- Engage your core and fix your gaze on a stationary point at eye level to assist with stability.
How to do it
- Exhale and lift your right leg out to the side (abduction) as high as possible without tilting your torso.
- In a slow, controlled arc, sweep the leg forward until it is directly in front of your hip.
- Inhale as you lower the leg back toward the floor, but hover the foot just above the ground to maintain tension.
- Perform the movement at a 2-2-2 tempo: 2 seconds to the side, 2 seconds to sweep front, and 2 seconds to lower.
Form checklist
- Keep the torso perfectly upright; do not lean away from the moving leg.
- Ensure the toes of the lifting leg point forward or slightly upward, not out to the side.
- Keep the standing leg's glute squeezed to stabilize the pelvis.
- Avoid using momentum or swinging; the movement should be driven entirely by the hip and core.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'zipping up' your lower abdominals to prevent your lower back from arching as the leg moves forward.
- Imagine your leg is a heavy weight you are moving through water to increase the mind-muscle connection in the obliques.
Make it harder
- Perform the entire set with your eyes closed to significantly increase the demand on your proprioceptors and core stabilizers.
- Add a 3-second isometric hold at both the peak lateral position and the peak front position.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the standing balance side to front leg raise work?
- The standing balance side to front leg raise primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the glutes and hamstrings as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the standing balance side to front leg raise?
- The standing balance side to front leg raise requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the standing balance side to front leg raise good for beginners?
- The standing balance side to front leg raise is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.