Exercise guide
Standing Side Leg Lift Twist
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Hips
- Lower legs
This dynamic movement combines a lateral leg raise with a torso rotation to simultaneously target the obliques, gluteus medius, and deep core stabilizers. It is highly effective for improving balance and functional core strength by integrating the upper and lower body.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
- Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears with your elbows flared out wide.
- Shift your weight slightly onto your left foot, keeping a soft bend in the standing knee.
How to do it
- Exhale as you lift your right leg out to the side while rotating your torso to bring your right elbow toward your rising right knee.
- Contract your obliques to bring the knee and elbow toward each other in a side-crunching motion.
- Inhale as you slowly lower the leg and rotate your torso back to the center with control.
- Repeat the movement on the left side, alternating sides for the duration of the set.
Form checklist
- Keep your chest lifted and avoid pulling on your neck with your hands.
- Ensure the movement happens laterally; do not let your knee swing to the front.
- Maintain a stable standing leg by squeezing the glute of the grounded foot.
- Focus on 'closing the gap' between your lower ribs and your hip bone.
Pro tips
- To maximize muscle fiber recruitment, pause for one second at the peak of the contraction when the elbow and knee are closest.
- Keep your toes pointed forward rather than upward on the lifting leg to keep the tension on the side of the hip rather than the hip flexor.
Make it harder
- Perform all repetitions on one side before switching to increase the metabolic demand on the standing leg.
- Add ankle weights to increase the resistance for the glutes and obliques.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the standing side leg lift twist work?
- The standing side leg lift twist primarily targets the abs, glutes, and obliques, and also works the hip flexors and quadriceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the standing side leg lift twist?
- The standing side leg lift twist requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the standing side leg lift twist good for beginners?
- The standing side leg lift twist is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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