The lying leg push is a band exercise done on your back. You loop a band under one foot, draw that knee up, then push the leg out straight against the band and let it come back slowly. It works the big buttock muscle (gluteus maximus) and the front of the thigh (quadriceps) together, with help from the back of the thigh (hamstrings). Think of a gym leg press, done on the floor with a band.

How to do the lying leg push with a band

Lie on your back on a mat with both legs straight. Rest your head on a thin pillow if that feels better for your neck.
Loop the middle of the band across the sole of one foot and hold an end in each hand. Bend your elbows so your hands rest near your chest, and grip the ends firmly.
Draw that knee up until your thigh is about upright, with the knee in line with your hip, so the band takes up the slack and feels slightly tight. Leave your other leg lying straight on the mat.
Push the foot away from you against the band, straightening the hip and knee together until the leg is fully straight and low, close to the mat beside the other leg. Keep the ankle relaxed with the toes pointing up, so the band stays across the middle of the sole.
Your arms only anchor the band, so keep your elbows still and let the leg do the pushing. Breathe out as you push.
Let the band bring the knee back up toward the start, just as slowly as you pushed it out. Finish the set, then change legs.

What you should feel

Effort in the buttock and along the front of the thigh during the push, with some work behind the thigh too. Your hands should only be holding, not pulling.

Common mistakes

Letting the band pull the knee back toward your chest in one quick movement.
Letting your back lift into an arch, or your pelvis roll up off the mat, as the leg pushes out low.
Tugging the ends of the band toward you, so your arms make the effort instead of your leg.
Straining with the breath held while the leg straightens.
A loose grip, so the band creeps through your fingers or slides toward your toes.

How often

Many home programs use 2 or 3 sets of 10 to 15 slow pushes per leg, on 2 or 3 days a week, choosing a band you can push fully straight and bring back slowly. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Hip, groin or knee pain that turns sharp, catches, or grows with each push.
Pain building in your lower back, or tingling, numbness or pain spreading down the leg.
Your calf or thigh becomes swollen, warm, tender, red or darker than usual, or has a throbbing or cramping pain that feels different from normal muscle ache. Stop and get medical advice the same day, as this can be a blood clot. If you are also short of breath or have chest pain, call emergency services.

From the clinic

Before each session, stretch the band out and look over its whole length for nicks, thin patches or sticky spots, and replace it if you find any. Keep it across the middle of the sole rather than near the toes, and loop each end around your palm so you can hold it firmly. Under tension, a band that splits or slides off the foot can spring back hard toward your face and chest. If you cannot reach a straight leg with control, change to a lighter band.

With no band at all, heel slides use the same bend and straighten pattern, and the isometric hip extension against a ball works the buttock while the hip stays still.

If you have had a hip or knee replacement, get the go-ahead from your surgeon or physio before you try this exercise. Drawing the knee up for the start position bends the hip to about a right angle, or past it if the knee comes closer to your chest, and many surgeons ask you to avoid that for the first months after some operations. If you are cleared for it, let your physio show you how high the knee may come. If you are pregnant and past the first three months, check with your physio before exercising flat on your back.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-26.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Lying leg push with a band