How many standing battement pulses should you do per leg when you are new to the exercise?

Two sets of 12 to 15 pulses per leg is plenty at first, since holding the turnout through a bigger range is more demanding than the parallel side-leg pulse. Progress by lifting a little higher before you add a third set.

What can I hold onto instead of a barre for the standing battement pulse?

A stable chair back, a countertop, or a wall at hand height will do. Since the leg travels through a bigger range here than in the basic side-leg pulse, pick a support that will not wobble as you shift your balance.

Should I do the standing battement pulse or the standing side leg pulse?

The battement keeps the leg turned out and lifts it through a bigger range, asking more of the outer glute and your balance, so it suits someone who has already built control with the simpler, parallel side-leg pulse. Skip the bigger range, or shorten it, if your standing hip or low back complains when the working leg lifts high.

Intermediate

Standing Battement Pulse

A battement to the side lifts a straight, turned-out leg directly out from the body, and pulsing it higher drives hip abduction that isolates the glute medius. The standing leg builds real single-leg balance and endurance while the outer hip does the lifting. It is a barre favorite for shaping the side of the hip and improving the lateral stability that keeps the pelvis level when you walk or run.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Glutes
Type: Balance, Strength
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Medius
Browse by movement: Hip Abduction

How to do it

1
Stand tall in turnout with one hand on the barre.
2
Shift your weight onto the leg nearest the barre.
3
Point the outside foot and lift the straight, turned-out leg out to the side.
4
Pulse the leg upward a few inches and back down, leading from the outer hip.
5
Keep the torso upright and the hips level rather than hiking the working hip.
6
Finish the reps, then turn to work the other leg.

Tips

Keep the standing leg tall and avoid leaning your torso away from the lift.
Lift only as high as you can without tilting the pelvis.
Keep the working leg long and the toe pointed throughout.

Variations

Common mistakes

The working leg loses its turnout on the way up and rotates back to neutral, quietly shifting effort away from the outer glute.
Bending the working knee to cheat a few extra inches of height turns a straight-leg battement into a bent-leg kick.
Once the leg swings past its comfortable height, momentum starts carrying it instead of the outer hip muscles.
The standing foot rolls onto its outer edge as fatigue builds, which is easy to miss without checking in a mirror.

Frequently asked

How many standing battement pulses should you do per leg when you are new to the exercise?: Two sets of 12 to 15 pulses per leg is plenty at first, since holding the turnout through a bigger range is more demanding than the parallel side-leg pulse. Progress by lifting a little higher before you add a third set.
What can I hold onto instead of a barre for the standing battement pulse?: A stable chair back, a countertop, or a wall at hand height will do. Since the leg travels through a bigger range here than in the basic side-leg pulse, pick a support that will not wobble as you shift your balance.
Should I do the standing battement pulse or the standing side leg pulse?: The battement keeps the leg turned out and lifts it through a bigger range, asking more of the outer glute and your balance, so it suits someone who has already built control with the simpler, parallel side-leg pulse. Skip the bigger range, or shorten it, if your standing hip or low back complains when the working leg lifts high.

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