Standing End Range Leg Lifts
Standing End Range Leg Lifts
Muscle Group Stretched: Hamstrings
Muscle Group Strengthened: Hip Flexors
Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic
Difficulty: All Levels
Suggested Prerequisites: none
For a more challenging variation of standing leg lifts, you can start with your working leg elevated. By starting with the leg already lifted, you can focus your strengthening on your true end range of the range of motion!
How To
Step 1
Start standing with both legs straight, one leg kicked forwards on some kind of elevated surface. You want to rest your foot on something low enough that you can still lift the leg off the surface, but high enough you can only lift the leg an inch or two. Depending on your flexibility (and strength), that could mean:
a yoga block (or two)
a low table
the seat of a chair
the top of a chair
a countertop
Step 2
Keeping both legs straight, torso lifted, and hips level (avoid tilting to the side), lift your elevated leg off of your support surface just for a moment, then lower it back down with control. Double-check that you’re not bending your base leg as you try and lift the working leg! If you can lift the foot quite high off of your support, find something taller that’s more challenging to lift off of.
Repeat for 8-12 leg lifts on one leg, then switch legs.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Choose a lower support surface.
Lose the support surface altogether. Work on regular ol’ standing leg lifts.
Want to make it harder?
Add ankle weights.
Stand on a yoga block to give the base leg a balance challenge.
