Legs · Bodyweight
Standing Side and Front Leg Raise
How to do the standing side and front leg raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall, holding a wall or chair for balance if needed. Raise one leg straight out to the side, lower it, then raise the same leg straight out in front of you, keeping it straight throughout. Complete your reps, then switch legs.
- 1Feel your outer hip work on the side raise
- 2Feel the front of your hip and thigh on the front raise
- 3Keep your torso tall and core braced for balance
Common mistakes
- Do not lean your torso to swing the leg up
- Avoid bending the working knee
- Do not let your hips rotate or hike up
Muscles worked
The standing side and front leg raise mainly works the glutes and hip flexors, with the lower abs, obliques, quads, and adductors assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- CalvesMinor
Kovo programs the standing side and front leg raise for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
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- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.