How many straight-leg tabletop lifts should a beginner do per side?

Two sets of 12 to 15 pulses per side is enough to start, a few reps fewer than the bent-knee version since the longer lever tires the hamstring and glute faster. Build up to three sets before adding a pause at the top.

How do I make the straight-leg tabletop lift easier or harder?

Make it easier by bending the knee slightly, which is really just the bent-knee version, or by keeping the pulse very small. Make it harder by holding the leg at hip height for a two-count before each pulse, or by slowing the lowering phase to three counts.

Is the straight-leg tabletop lift better than the bent-knee version?

Not better, just different: straightening the leg spreads the load across the hamstring as well as the glute, so it is a natural next step once the bent-knee lift feels easy. It is a poor fit if hamstring tightness or low-back pain makes it hard to keep the pelvis level with the leg extended.

Beginner

Barre Tabletop Straight-Leg Lift

Straightening the leg lengthens the lever, so the glute and hamstring share the load and the burn spreads across the whole back of the leg. It is a natural progression from the bent-knee lift and a great low-back-friendly way to add posterior-chain volume. Keep the reach long and the pelvis level so the seat, not momentum, does the work.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus
Browse by movement: Hinge

How to do it

1
Start on all fours with a long neutral spine and abs gently braced.
2
Extend one leg straight back with the toes lightly grazing the floor.
3
Lift the straight leg to hip height by squeezing the glute.
4
Lower an inch and pulse the leg upward in small controlled beats.
5
Reach the toes long away from your torso to keep the leg fully extended.
6
Hold the pelvis square and resist rotating open toward the lifting side.

Tips

Think of lengthening the leg away from you rather than just lifting it high.
Stop the lift at hip height so you do not crank the lower back.
Keep both hip bones pointing at the floor throughout the set.

Variations

Common mistakes

The extended knee bends as the set goes on, shrinking the long lever that is the entire difference between this move and the bent-knee version.
Letting the toes flop rather than staying pointed and reaching removes the length that keeps tension through the hamstring and glute together.
The supporting-side hip sags lower toward the floor as fatigue builds, twisting the pelvis instead of keeping both hip bones level.
Rushing the lift up and immediately dropping it skips the controlled lower phase where the hamstring does real work.

Frequently asked

How many straight-leg tabletop lifts should a beginner do per side?: Two sets of 12 to 15 pulses per side is enough to start, a few reps fewer than the bent-knee version since the longer lever tires the hamstring and glute faster. Build up to three sets before adding a pause at the top.
How do I make the straight-leg tabletop lift easier or harder?: Make it easier by bending the knee slightly, which is really just the bent-knee version, or by keeping the pulse very small. Make it harder by holding the leg at hip height for a two-count before each pulse, or by slowing the lowering phase to three counts.
Is the straight-leg tabletop lift better than the bent-knee version?: Not better, just different: straightening the leg spreads the load across the hamstring as well as the glute, so it is a natural next step once the bent-knee lift feels easy. It is a poor fit if hamstring tightness or low-back pain makes it hard to keep the pelvis level with the leg extended.

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