How to do a Side Leg Hip Circle
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Side Leg Hip Circle
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Side Leg Hip Circle is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the glutes and hips. By lying on your side and drawing circles with your top leg, you engage your hip flexors and glutes through a full range of motion. This is an excellent exercise for improving hip mobility and stability, as well as strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles around the hip joint.
- Lie on your side and place your top palm on the floor for stability.
- Engage your glutes and hips to raise your leg up at your hips. Engage your core for stability.
- Slowly move your leg around in a circle while maintaining tension in your glutes and hips. Keep your leg straight throughout the movement.
- Reverse the direction of your leg and repeat in the opposite direction.
- Maintain good posture by keeping your active leg straight with a slight bend in your knee.
- You should feel this exercise primarily in your glutes and hips.
Alternative Exercises to Side Leg Hip Circle
1. Standing Leg Side Circle
12.6 mSCORESWAPPED 383 TIMESStanding Leg Side Circle is an isolation exercise that targets the hip flexors and adductors. By performing circular motions with your leg, you engage muscles around your hips that are often neglected in other exercises. This is a great exercise for improving hip mobility and stability, and it’s particularly beneficial for athletes looking to enhance their lateral movements.
- Beginner
- Glutes
2. Knee to Chest Stretch
5.1 mSCORESWAPPED 122 TIMESKnee to Chest Stretch is an isolation stretch that targets the lower back and glutes. This stretch involves lying on your back and pulling one or both knees toward your chest. It helps increase flexibility in the lower back and relieve tension in the lumbar spine. It’s a great addition to any warm-up or cool-down routine to improve mobility and reduce the risk of injury.
- Beginner
- Glutes
3. Pigeon Pose
7.1 mSCORESWAPPED 120 TIMESPigeon Pose is a yoga stretch that primarily targets the hip flexors and glutes. By extending one leg back and resting the other leg bent in front, you significantly stretch the hip joints and muscles. This pose is excellent for improving hip mobility and flexibility, making it a beneficial addition to any lower body or mobility routine.
- Beginner
- Glutes
4. Seated Figure Four
10.5 mSCORESWAPPED 95 TIMESSeated Figure Four is an isolation stretching exercise that primarily targets the glutes and hip flexors. By placing one ankle over the opposite knee and leaning forward, you can effectively stretch the glutes and hips. This stretch is excellent for improving lower body flexibility and addressing tightness in the hips and glutes, which can be beneficial for a variety of lower body exercises.
- Beginner
- Glutes
5. Single Leg Kickback
86.2 mSCORESWAPPED 85 TIMESSingle Leg Kickback is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. The exercise requires you to engage your glutes, and kick your leg back and up with your knees bent. Targeting each side independently is a great way to identify discrepancies in mobility and strength between sides.
- Beginner
- Glutes
6. Straight Leg Kickback
57.6 mSCORESWAPPED 78 TIMESStraight Leg Kickback is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the glutes. By extending your leg out behind you, and off the ground, you’re already engaging your glutes and hamstrings. By pulsing your leg up and down, you take your already engaged glutes, and move them through a limited range of motion. This is a great exercise for isolating the glutes.
- Beginner
- Glutes
7. Dumbbell Glute Bridge
69.3 mSCORESWAPPED 73 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation of the more common Glute Bridge. Like other Glute Bridge variations, this exercise primarily targets your glutes. By placing a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this exercise. This is a great variation for anyone looking to make their Glute Bridge a bit more challenging.
8. Side Leg Kick
78.4 mSCORESWAPPED 71 TIMESSide Leg Kick is an exercise that primarily targets your glutes. By lying on your side and raising your top leg into the air, you’re already recruiting your glutes, as well as your other smaller muscle groups like hip flexors. With your glutes already engaged, you then move them through a range of motion to further improve muscle activation.
- Beginner
- Glutes
9. Hip Thrust
97 mSCORESWAPPED 69 TIMESHip Thrust is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your glutes. This is a great beginner exercise that can help you learn and develop your glute drive, which is helpful for a number of different exercises and general movements. It’s a simple and easy to perform exercise that can help you develop strength.
- Beginner
- Glutes
10. Dumbbell Hip Thrust
88.1 mSCORESWAPPED 65 TIMESThis exercise is a weighted variation on the more standard Hit Thrust. By holding a dumbbell against your hips, you can add a bit more resistance to this usually bodyweight exercise. This is a great variation for adding a bit more difficulty to your Hip Thrusts.