Side Kick Series – Lower Leg Lift

Equipment:

Mat

Prop:

None

Difficulty (1-5):

3

Repetitions:

8 (each)

Main Body Position:

Lateral Recumbent

Spine Position:

Neutral

Part of Series?

Yes

Start Position 🏁

  • Lie on one side, close to and parallel with back edge of mat
  • Stack legs and hips
  • Point or flex feet
  • Angle legs forward so toes are in middle of mat
  • Bend elbow of lower arm and rest head on same hand
  • Place hand of upper arm on mat in front of sternum, parallel with torso
  • Push into lower elbow, hand of upper arm and bottom leg to lift rib cage off mat
  • Lift top leg up as high as can still be touched by bottom leg when bottom leg is lifting up. Hip height is a good place to start.

Cues 💡

  • Lift bottom leg up to top leg
  • Touch full inner leg of bottom leg to full inner leg of top leg. Watch tendency to touch just feet together.
  • Should feel top oblique abdominal firing
  • Maintain stacked hips. Watch tendency for top hip to move backwards.
  • Constantly pull top hip away from rib cage. Watch tendency for compression of upper torso.
  • Lower bottom leg slowly rather than dropping it back down to the mat
  • Watch tendency to gradually lower top leg. Maintain starting height of top leg.
  • Switch sides

Breathing 🫁

  • Inhale (nose) to lift bottom leg up
  • Exhale (mouth) to lower bottom leg down

Modifications 🔧

  • Stretch lower arm out and rest head on bicep
  • Rest head on cushion with lower arm moved out of the way
  • Allow rib cage to rest on mat rather than lifting it off mat