Straight Leg Raises: Best 4 Strengthen Your Hips

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Straight leg raises are a wonderful workout for strengthening your hips! Try it now.
Straight leg raises aren’t simply for rehabilitation. You may constantly repeat this workout to strengthen your hips. Let me demonstrate how to perform the straight leg lift exercise for stronger hips.

Straight leg raises are a wonderful way to strengthen hips. Image credit of Freepik

Strong hip joints are required for many activities. They provide stability and balance, mobility and flexibility, lower back support, injury prevention, posture, and functional independence for the human body. Aside from the standard exercises you may incorporate in your fitness routine, the straight leg raise may help strengthen your hips. These are great for developing the hip muscles, especially the flexors, glutes, and quads!

straight leg raises technique

Also Read; How to Do a Straight Leg Raise: A Hinge Health Guide

What is the straight leg lift exercise?

It’s a motion in which you lie down and raise one leg at a time. It focuses on your hip muscles and lower abdomen, which helps to create strength and stability, according to fitness guru Abhi Singh Thakur. The single raise is one of the exercises advised following hip surgery, according to a 2017 study published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. According to Thakur, they are commonly used in physical therapy to help patients recover from accidents or operations by gradually developing strength and mobility in the legs and hips

Straight leg raises work the hip flexors. Image credit: Adobe Stock.

How can straight leg raises help to strengthen the hips?

Lifting your leg strengthens your hip flexors (the muscles that help you lift your leg) and glutes (the muscles in your buttocks), strengthening your hips. The expert emphasizes the need of strengthening hip flexors, which are required for activities such as walking, jogging, and climbing stairs.

Here are more benefits of straight leg raise:

Keep your back flat on the floor while performing a straight leg lift. Image courtesy of Shutterstock

hip strengthening exercise

Lifting one leg engages your core muscles to maintain balance, therefore strengthening your abs and lower back.

Balancing on one leg increases your stability and coordination, which is beneficial for everyday tasks and sports.
They help tone the quadriceps and hamstrings, making your thighs seem firmer.
They strengthen the muscles surrounding the knee and hip, which promotes joint health and lowers the chance of injury.
Regular practice can help improve the flexibility of your hip and leg muscles.

How do I execute a straight leg raise?

Here’s how to do the straight leg lift.

benefits of straight leg raises

Lie flat on your back, legs extended out and arms at your sides.
Tighten your abs while lying down.
Raise one leg straight up towards the ceiling, remaining straight. Make sure that the other leg is on the ground.
Hold for a moment, then slowly drop it back down.
Repeat these techniques for the opposite leg.

To reduce discomfort during this hip strengthening exercise, maintain your back level on the ground rather than arching it.

hip flexor workout

minimize hurrying; move gently to maximize benefit and minimize damage.
To maintain proper form, ensure that your abs are functioning.
Do not elevate your legs too high. Lift only until it feels comfortable without straining.

Aim for three sets of 10 to 15 reps each leg, done a few times per week. Thakur advises sticking with it for a few weeks before expecting to see benefits.

Straight leg raises are beneficial to the hips, therefore they are not just for persons who have had hip problems or surgery. However, if you have lower back discomfort, avoid it because it might aggravate the condition. Furthermore, supine activities, which involve reclining on one’s back or looking upward, may not be appropriate for pregnant women due to safety issues. Before incorporating a new workout into your fitness routine, consult with your doctor.