Skip to content
Side Leg Raise strength standards

What is a good Side Leg Raise?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Side Leg Raise is about 25 reps. Advanced starts around 45 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology

How Many Side Leg Raise Should You Be Able to Do?

Side Leg Raise rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner< 1
Novice8 reps
Intermediate25 reps
Advanced45 reps
Elite67 reps

Side Leg Raise Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 < 1 2 22 47 77
120 < 1 4 23 48 76
130 < 1 5 24 47 74
140 < 1 6 24 47 73
150 < 1 7 24 47 71
160 < 1 8 25 46 70
170 < 1 8 25 45 68
180 < 1 8 25 45 67
190 < 1 9 25 44 66
200 < 1 9 24 43 64
210 < 1 9 24 43 63
220 < 1 9 24 42 61
230 < 1 9 24 41 60
240 < 1 9 23 40 59
250 < 1 9 23 40 58
260 < 1 9 23 39 56
270 < 1 9 22 38 55
280 < 1 9 22 37 54
290 < 1 9 21 37 53
300 < 1 9 21 36 52
310 < 1 9 21 35 51

The Side Leg Raise standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Side Leg Raise Standards by Age

How the Side Leg Raise standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 < 1 1 17 37 59
20 < 1 6 23 46 72
25 < 1 7 25 48 74
30 < 1 7 25 48 74
35 < 1 7 25 48 74
40 < 1 7 25 48 74
45 < 1 5 22 44 69
50 < 1 3 19 40 63
55 < 1 < 1 15 34 56
60 < 1 < 1 11 29 49
65 < 1 < 1 8 23 41
70 < 1 < 1 5 18 34
75 < 1 < 1 1 13 27
80 < 1 < 1 < 1 9 21
85 < 1 < 1 < 1 6 16
90 < 1 < 1 < 1 2 11

The Side Leg Raise standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Side Leg Raise Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 25 Side Leg Raise is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your result
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

What the Side Leg Raise Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. An easier version or a shorter range is the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with harder variations to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Side Leg Raise

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Side Leg Raise to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start with an easier version you can do for 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Move to the full version once 12 clean reps feel easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the hardest point.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Side Leg Raise

Primary Muscles Obliques, Glutes, Hip Abductors
Equipment None
  1. Start by lying on your side with your legs extended and stacked on top of each other. Rest your head on your lower arm and place your upper arm's hand on the floor in front of you for support.
  2. Engage your core to stabilize your body. Slowly lift your top leg upwards as high as you can while keeping it straight. Avoid rotating your hips or torso.
  3. Hold the position at the top briefly, ensuring you feel the contraction in your hip and glute muscles.
  4. Slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch sides.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise to maintain stability.
  • Avoid swinging your leg or using momentum; focus on controlled movements.
  • Ensure your top leg remains straight and your toes point forward.
  • Start with a smaller range of motion if you are a beginner and gradually increase as you gain strength.
  • To make the exercise more challenging, you can add ankle weights or resistance bands.

Where Do These Side Leg Raise Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Side Leg Raise table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Side Leg Raise itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Side Leg Raise number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Side Leg Raise after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Side Leg Raise table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.