How to do the Lever Standing Leg Raise
Glutes & HamstringsGlutes & HamsMachineBeginner
The lever standing leg raise machine gives you a stable, guided environment to isolate your glutes and hamstrings with precision that free-weight movements rarely allow for beginners. Master this machine and you build the posterior chain strength that carries over to every squat, sprint, and athletic movement you will ever perform.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
GlutesHamstrings
Secondary
Lower backCalves
Step-by-step
- Set the pad just above your ankle, stand upright gripping the handles firmly, and plant your supporting foot flat on the platform.
- Brace your core and keep your hips square to the machine before you initiate any movement.
- Drive your working leg straight back and upward in a controlled arc, squeezing the glute hard at the top of the range.
- Lower the leg slowly back to the start position under full tension, resisting gravity rather than letting it drop.
Common mistakes
- Hyperextending the lower back to gain range of motion — keep your pelvis neutral and let the glute do the work, not your spine.
- Using momentum to swing the leg back — reduce the weight and move deliberately so the target muscles are actually loaded through the full arc.
- Letting the hip of the working leg rotate outward — keep both hips facing forward throughout the rep to ensure the glute fires instead of the hip flexor complex compensating.
Pro tip — At the peak of each rep pause for a full one-second isometric contraction while consciously pushing the pad back against resistance, this brief hold dramatically increases glute recruitment compared to continuous rhythmic reps.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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