Side Kick Up/Down — Smaller Range: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Side Kick Up/Down — Smaller Range is a mat Pilates exercise performed lying on one side with the top leg lifted only partway toward the ceiling, well short of its maximum height, then lowering it back with control before repeating. Limiting how high the leg travels is what makes this the easier way into Side Kick — Up and Down.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A Yoga Mat underneath is an optional way to soften the floor beneath the hip and shoulder.
Why It Matters
A partial lift still asks the outer hip to work through repeated reps, and stopping the leg at a consistent height without letting it drift takes precision. A smaller glute muscle at the side of the hip (gluteus medius) drives the leg upward on every partial lift, and the inner thigh muscles (adductors) control the leg as it lowers back down. The waist muscles along the side of the torso (obliques) keep the torso from rocking as the leg moves, and a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset (transverse abdominis) keeps the pelvis from tipping through the lift.
When to Do It
Side Kick Up/Down — Smaller Range works well in the side-lying leg-work portion of a Pilates mat session, usually placed before the lift is taken to its full height. Building this partial-range pattern two to three times a week is a reasonable starting pace.
A current hip issue is worth discussing with a professional before adding this exercise, since even a partial lift loads the joint repeatedly.
Getting Ready
Lying on one side and pressing the top leg into a straight, aligned position confirms the setup feels stable before any lifting starts. A single partial lift, held for a moment at the top, previews the height the working set will use.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Lie on one side with the bottom leg slightly bent, the top leg extended and aligned with the hip.
2. The lift. Raise the top leg only partway toward the ceiling, stopping well short of full height.
3. The check. Confirm the leg stays vertical, without drifting forward or back.
4. The lower. Bring the leg back down with control, stopping just short of the bottom leg before the next rep.
How Many, How Often
Side Kick Up/Down — Smaller Range is dosed by reps, with each partial lift-and-lower counting as one.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to keeping the leg vertical through the lift | 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps per side, with a smaller lift |
| Intermediate | The leg tracks straight through a slightly higher lift | 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side |
| Advanced | Comfortable lifting closer to the full range | 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps per side |
The leg staying vertical matters more here than how high it lifts, since letting the leg drift forward to gain height takes the work away from the outer hip.
Modifications and Variations
The step up from this version lifts the leg to full height.
Compared to Side Kick — Up and Down, this version stops the lift partway toward the ceiling, which keeps the pelvis considerably easier to stabilize. Once the leg tracks a straight vertical path through the partial lift on every rep, raising it gradually toward the full range is the natural next step.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the leg drift forward to fake extra height. Angling the working leg toward the front of the body makes the lift look bigger without training the outer hip. The leg should track a straight vertical line no matter how high it lifts.
Using the whole hip to heave the leg upward. Rocking the pelvis or leaning back to help launch the leg trades abductor work for momentum. A lift powered by the outer hip alone keeps the exercise doing its job.
Letting the leg drop quickly on the way down. Allowing gravity to pull the leg back down skips the resisted, controlled lower this exercise depends on. A descent that takes as long as the lift keeps the muscle working through the whole rep.
After Your Set
Lying on the back and drawing one knee across the body, holding it gently in place, opens the outer hip after a set of repeated partial lifts. A standing calf and ankle shake-out finishes settling the leg that carried the working range.
Going Deeper
This exercise usually works well as a way to build the vertical tracking the full-height version depends on, without the extra hip flexibility a taller lift eventually demands. The leg tends to start angling forward to make a stalled lift look like it’s still improving. Keeping the leg on a vertical path, even if that keeps the visible height the same for a while, builds strength faster than trading form for the appearance of range.
Someone picking this up for the first time typically manages a small, controlled partial lift within a handful of sessions, then works toward a noticeably higher lift across the following two or three weeks.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A leg that tracks a vertical path through the whole lift
- A pelvis that stays level
- A descent that takes just as much control as the lift
- A lift height that grows while the leg stays vertical
A leg that never drifts forward to gain height matters more than how high it eventually reaches.
Muscles Worked
- Gluteus Medius (a smaller glute muscle at the side of the hip, driving the leg upward on every partial lift)
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, controlling the leg as it lowers back down)
- Obliques (the waist muscles along the side of the torso, keeping the torso from rocking as the leg moves)
- Transverse Abdominis (a deep core muscle that wraps around the torso like a corset, keeping the pelvis from tipping through the lift)
FAQ
Why limit the lift height at first? Stopping the lift partway keeps the pelvis considerably easier to stabilize, which lets a vertical leg path be learned before the extra height of the full version is added.
When is it time to raise the kick higher? When the leg tracks a straight vertical line through the partial lift on every rep, with no forward drift, start raising it gradually toward the full Side Kick — Up and Down.
Is some outer hip fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the outer hip after several reps per side is expected. Sharp pain confined to one specific spot in the hip is a different matter, best brought to a doctor or physical therapist if it lingers.
Is it normal for one hip to feel weaker than the other? Yes, a strength difference between the two hips is common. Matching the rep count on the weaker side to the stronger one is a reasonable way to close that gap over time.
How often should the smaller-range kick be practiced? Two to three times a week, worked into the side-lying leg-work portion of a broader mat session, is enough to build this partial-range pattern.
Related to Side Kick — Up and Down as the harder, full-height version to move to once the leg tracks a vertical path.