Exercise guide
Standing Leg Slide With Towel
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Lower legs
- Upper legs
This unilateral movement uses a sliding surface to create constant tension and instability, effectively targeting the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps of the stationary leg while improving balance.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall on a smooth floor surface with feet hip-width apart.
- Place the ball of your right foot on a small towel, keeping the left foot firmly planted on the floor.
- Shift approximately 80% of your body weight onto the stationary left leg.
- Engage your core and place your hands on your hips or held in front of your chest for balance.
How to do it
- Inhale and slowly slide the towel-supported foot backward, bending the front knee to lower your hips into a deep lunge.
- Continue sliding back until your front thigh is nearly parallel to the floor, ensuring the front knee stays aligned over the ankle.
- Exhale and drive through the heel of the stationary foot, pulling the towel back to the starting position using your hamstrings and glutes.
- Complete all repetitions on one side before switching to the other leg.
Form checklist
- Keep the front knee tracking in line with the second toe, avoiding any inward collapse.
- Maintain an upright or slightly forward-leaning torso with a neutral spine.
- Ensure the sliding leg stays relatively straight to keep the focus on the working stationary leg.
- Keep your hips square to the front throughout the entire range of motion.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'pulling' sensation of the front leg's hamstring to bring the towel back, rather than just pushing off the back foot.
- Press the big toe of your stationary foot into the ground to maximize stability and arch engagement.
- Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 3-4 seconds to increase time under tension for the glutes.
Make it harder
- Hold a dumbbell in a goblet position or two dumbbells at your sides to increase the load.
- Perform the slide laterally (to the side) instead of backward to shift the focus toward the adductors and glute medius.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the standing leg slide with towel work?
- The standing leg slide with towel primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the standing leg slide with towel?
- The standing leg slide with towel requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the standing leg slide with towel good for beginners?
- The standing leg slide with towel is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
Related exercises
- 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
- Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps