Cable Side Leg Kick

Attach the ankle strap, stand beside the cable machine, and keep your torso tall. Rest your near hand lightly on your hip, and use your opposite hand on the frame for balance if needed.

Drive the working leg out to the side and slightly back on a diagonal. Use the outer and rear glute to move your leg, keeping your torso from leaning far to the opposite side.

Slowly return your leg to the starting position and prepare for the next rep. Keep slight tension as you return so the cable doesn’t pull your leg down abruptly.

Make sure you feel a brief squeeze in the outer and rear glute of the working side. The diagonal drive slightly back should feel more pronounced than simply lifting your leg out to the side.

Swinging your torso or rotating your pelvis to move the leg reduces glute engagement. Prioritize a stable torso and diagonal leg path over speed.

Exhale as you kick your leg out and inhale as it returns. Matching your breathing to each rep makes it easier to keep the leg path and speed consistent.

Start slowly to learn the diagonal path back, then gradually increase the rhythm once your form is stable. To distinguish this from a cable hip abduction, keep the feeling of sending your leg slightly back rather than straight out to the side.