Single Leg Forward Bend

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
2. Shift your weight onto your target leg, keeping a slight 'soft' bend in the knee.
3. Engage your core and find a focal point on the floor about 3-5 feet in front of you for balance.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you hinge forward at the hips, simultaneously lifting your non-working leg straight back behind you.
2. Keep your torso and back leg in a straight line as you lower until your body is roughly parallel to the floor.
3. Exhale and drive through the standing heel to return to the starting position, squeezing the glute at the top.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower and 2 seconds to return to the start.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips square to the floor; do not let the floating hip rotate upward.
• Maintain a neutral spine from head to tailbone throughout the movement.
• Keep the standing knee slightly bent but stable—do not let it cave inward.
• Ensure the moving leg stays active and straight with toes pointed toward the ground.

Pro tips

• Imagine pushing your back heel into a wall behind you to create full-body tension and improve stability.
• Focus on the 'stretch' in the hamstring of the standing leg to ensure you are hinging at the hip rather than rounding the lower back.

Make it harder

• Extend your arms straight overhead (superman position) to increase the lever length and core demand.
• Perform the movement on an unstable surface like a foam pad to further challenge ankle and hip stabilizers.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the single leg forward bend work?

The single leg forward bend primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings, and also works the abs, erector spinae, and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the single leg forward bend?

The single leg forward bend requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the single leg forward bend good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternating Hamstring Curl Overhead ClapIntermediate · abs, glutes, and hamstrings
• Around The World Superman HoldIntermediate · erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, lats, and trapezius
• Back Leg Lift JackBeginner · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and obliques