Pendulum Leg Plus

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
2. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and ensure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Press firmly through your palms to protract your shoulder blades, creating a strong 'plus' position in the upper back.

How to do it

1. Keeping your leg straight, swing one leg out to the side in a wide arc (the pendulum) while keeping your hips level with the floor.
2. From the lateral position, bend your knee and drive it toward the outside of the same-side elbow, exhaling as you crunch your obliques.
3. Inhale as you reverse the movement, extending the leg back out and returning it to the starting plank position.
4. Alternate sides for each repetition, maintaining a controlled 2-1-2 tempo (2 seconds out, 1 second crunch, 2 seconds back).

Form checklist

• Keep your hips square to the ground; do not let them rotate as the leg swings.
• Maintain a strong 'push' through the floor to keep the chest and shoulders active.
• Avoid letting your lower back arch or your hips sag toward the floor.
• Keep your neck neutral by looking at a point about 6 inches in front of your hands.

Pro tips

• To maximize oblique engagement, try to actually touch your knee to your triceps during the 'plus' phase.
• Focus on keeping the moving leg parallel to the floor throughout the pendulum swing to increase hip and quad tension.

Make it harder

• Perform a push-up between each alternating leg cycle to increase pectoral and tricep demand.
• Slow down the lateral swing to a 4-second count to significantly increase the stability requirement for the standing leg and core.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the pendulum leg plus work?

The pendulum leg plus primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the adductors and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the pendulum leg plus?

The pendulum leg plus requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the pendulum leg plus good for beginners?

The pendulum leg plus is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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