Leg Lift
A beginner isolation movement that trains the glutes with just bodyweight.
Force Type
Push
direction of effort
Difficulty
Beginner
training level
Variations
0
equipment swaps
Muscles
2
primary + secondary
The verdict
Leg Lift has 5-step instructions, among the most thoroughly documented of the 22 glutes exercises PlainExercise catalogues.
Ranked against the 22 glutes exercises PlainExercise currently catalogues, not the full exercise-science literature.
Catalog lens
Two ways this record sits in the source corpus
These are placement measures for the documented record, not a score for exercise quality, safety, or suitability.
Instruction steps
#263 of 868
More thorough than most
Numbered source steps, ranked across every documented exercise.
Instruction text
#496 of 868
Typical documentation depth
A separate character-length placement prevents step count from standing in for explanatory detail.
Leg Lift vs every catalogued exercise by instruction-text length
Where this record's instruction-character count sits among all 873 Free Exercise DB exercises with instructions, not a rating of the movement itself.
551 496th of 873 higher than 375 of 873 exercises
All exercises, banded by instruction-text character count
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more exercises. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source Free Exercise DB · 2026-07-10
Leg Lift is documented from the Free Exercise DB (CC0) extract, last ingested July 2026. Classification, muscle roles and instruction text are source facts; the placement and cohort measures on this page are computed by PlainExercise and are not a rating of the movement.
What the Leg Lift Data Reveals · DOC · PUSH/ISOLATION
Leg Lift stands out on mechanic class: joint involvement separates this page from isolation peers.
Longer step lists usually mean finer setup cues, not a harder movement by themselves.
Across 22 catalogued glutes movements, the average instruction record is 492 characters and 3.5 steps; 9 of those (40.9%) clear the same ≥500-character rich bar used here. This page ranks #7 of 22 by instruction-character length (1.12× the cohort average).
Among the 111 exercises that also use just bodyweight, average instruction length is 581 characters; 54 of those peers are longer than this record. Equipment-matched peers are the honest comparison when you are choosing a substitute implement for the same pattern.
Other well-documented glutes movements (same ≥500-character bar):
- Glute Kickback (4 steps, 918 chars)
- Flutter Kicks (5 steps, 727 chars)
- One-Legged Cable Kickback (6 steps, 718 chars)
- Hip Lift with Band (4 steps, 630 chars)
- Lying Glute (4 steps, 612 chars)
Context matters: taxonomy (level, mechanic, force, musculature, equipment) does not account for individual biomechanics, joint history, or recovery. Common-mistake framing below is derived from classification fields, not case-specific coaching. Not medical or personal-training advice. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting, especially with injuries, cardiovascular conditions, recent surgery, or pregnancy.
Leg Lift catalog footprint
Among 22 exercises whose primary muscle is glutes, Leg Lift ranks #6 by catalogued variation count. The upstream file attaches 2 images to this slug. See the step-count ranking for glutes for peer documentation depth.
Muscles worked
The Free Exercise DB classifies each muscle as primary or secondary. It does not measure activation, so we show involvement, not percentages.
Source: Free Exercise DB primary/secondary muscle classification. Actual recruitment varies by load and form.
Intensity context
For reference, here is where common activities sit on the MET intensity scale. Leg Lift does not have a measured MET in the source data, its intensity depends on the load and effort you use. Estimate calories for any activity with the calorie calculator.
MET values from the Compendium of Physical Activities (Ainsworth et al., 2011). A general reference scale, not a rating of this specific movement.
How to do it
- While standing up straight with both feet next to each other at around shoulder width, grab a sturdy surface such as the sides of a squat rack or the top of a chair to brace yourself and keep balance.
- With or without an ankle weight, lift one leg behind you as if performing a leg curl but standing up while keeping the other leg straight. Breathe out as you perform this movement.
- Slowly bring the raised leg back to the floor as you breathe in.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
- Repeat the movement with the opposite leg.
Common mistakes
- Rushing through reps before the pattern is grooved - at this stage, a slow, controlled tempo (2-3s down, 1-2s up) on Leg Lift teaches the nervous system the movement far faster than speed does.
- Cutting the range of motion short - moving the glutes through its full safe range on Leg Lift is what most reliably separates effective reps from wasted ones.
- Using momentum instead of muscle, isolation movements like Leg Lift reward strict form. If you're swinging the weight, it's too heavy.
- Flaring elbows excessively on push movements, tucked elbows protect the shoulder joint and transfer more force into the target muscles.
- Breathing out of sync with the lift on Leg Lift - brace and inhale during the lowering phase, exhale on the exertion, especially important with just bodyweight where control matters most.
Who this is for
- People new to resistance training who want to build a foundation in the movement pattern
- People who want to train the Glutes and secondarily hamstrings
- People training at home without equipment
Who this is NOT for
- People hunting equipment swaps, this record has none to offer; browse the peer glutes exercises for alternate patterns instead.
- Anyone with acute pain in the joints or muscles involved, pain is a stop signal, not a soreness signal
- People with unresolved injuries in the loaded joints, seek clearance from a physical therapist first
- Anyone with a recent surgery, cardiovascular limitation, or pregnancy complication without physician clearance
Progression path
Once Leg Lift feels comfortable with your current load, progress by (a) adding reps until you can complete 12+ per set, (b) increasing resistance by 2.5-5%, (c) moving to harder variations such as single-limb or longer lever versions, and eventually (d) stepping up to intermediate-level movements that train the same muscle.
See the Progression guide for a full framework on when to advance, and the Compound vs Isolation guide to decide when to prioritize this movement in your program.
Safety notes · BODY-ONLY · PUSH/ISOLATION · FLOOR
- On PUSH/ISOLATION glutes work, warm up 5–10 minutes before loading Leg Lift; keep first sets light until the path feels automatic.
- Sharp or joint pain is a stop signal. Muscle soreness during sets is normal; pain is not.
- Beginners on BODY-ONLY gear: cut volume before cutting form, drop a set rather than rush reps.
- General information only. Consult a physician or certified trainer before starting any new exercise program.
Curated workout appearances
Leg Lift appears in 2 of the 186 curated workout routines on this site.
Nationwide exercises with similar documentation depth
Two Free Exercise DB peer sets for Leg Lift, drawn across all muscles (not the glutes-only related list below). Each metric produces a different neighborhood.
Similar instruction step count
Nearest catalog records by numbered steps.
Similar instruction text length
Nearest catalog records by upstream instruction characters.
Related exercises
Other exercises that target the Glutes.
See all Glutes exercises.
Using the leg lift
Three ways to put it to work.
- Train the glutes 2–3 times a week with 48+ hours between hard sets; pair this with other glutes movements for balanced development. All glutes exercises
- Match the load and rep range to your goal, strength, size, or endurance each call for a different scheme. Strength vs hypertrophy
- As an isolation movement, use it to target the glutes directly after your compound lifts. Compound vs isolation
Form before load. If a movement causes sharp or joint pain, stop and substitute a safer alternative, this is general information, not medical or training advice.