# Cable Lying Single Leg Hip Flexion - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/8875/cable-lying-single-leg-hip-flexion/ - Media ID: 8875 - Primary muscle: Hips - Body part: Hips - Equipment: Cable Machine - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/8875/cable-lying-single-leg-hip-flexion.mp4 ## Description Cable Lying Single Leg Hip Flexion is a focused hip flexor exercise performed face-up on the floor with an ankle strap attached to the low pulley of a cable machine. You lie with your head pointing away from the machine, the strap buckled around one ankle, and you pull that leg up and over your body until the knee comes toward your chest, then lower it back down under the constant resistance of the cable. Because the cable pulls away from you at a low angle, the hip flexors work against resistance through the entire range of motion, including the stretched position near the floor where bodyweight variations lose tension. The muscles doing most of the work are the hip flexors at the front of the hip, mainly the iliopsoas, with the rectus femoris of the quadriceps assisting since it crosses both the hip and knee. Your lower abs work hard as well, not to lift the leg but to keep your pelvis and lumbar spine stable while the hip moves. This makes the exercise a useful teaching tool for separating hip movement from lower-back movement, which many people struggle to control. This movement suits runners, cyclists, martial artists, and anyone whose sport demands strong, snappy knee drive, since hip flexor strength is often neglected compared to the pushing muscles of the legs. It is also commonly used in rehab-style or prehab programming, where the lying position and light cable load allow precise, low-stress loading of the hip. Because each leg is trained separately, it exposes and helps correct side-to-side differences in strength and control. The setup matters more than it might seem. Lying flat on the floor with the cable running low and parallel behind you fixes your torso in place, so the only joint free to move is the hip of the strapped leg. Positioning yourself far enough from the machine that the cable has tension at the start, and keeping the non-working leg bent with the foot flat, both help you stay grounded and stop the pelvis from tilting as you lift. To execute it well, pull the knee up toward your chest in a smooth arc, let the knee bend naturally as it rises, and pause briefly at the top without yanking. On the way down, resist the cable rather than letting it drag the leg back; the lowering phase should take about the same time as the lift. If your lower back arches off the floor or your torso starts to scoot toward the machine, the weight is too heavy or you are pulling with momentum instead of the hip. A few practical safety points: start lighter than you think you need, since the hip flexors are a small muscle group and the cable removes any rest between reps. Keep the strap snug so it cannot slip down toward the foot, and make sure the anchor point of the strap sits just above the ankle bone. Stop the set if you feel pinching at the front of the hip and reduce the range before reducing the load. ## Instructions 1. Set a single handle or ankle strap attachment on the low pulley of a cable machine and select a light starting weight. 2. Lie on your back on the floor with your head pointing away from the machine, and buckle the ankle strap around one ankle so the cable runs along the floor behind you. 3. Slide away from the machine until there is clear tension on the cable with your working leg resting on the floor, and bend your other knee so that foot is planted flat for stability. 4. Rest your arms at your sides or lightly behind your head, brace your abs, and press your lower back gently toward the floor. 5. Exhale and pull the strapped knee up and over your torso toward your chest, letting the knee bend as it rises, until the thigh is close to your ribs. 6. Pause for a beat at the top, keeping the pelvis still rather than rocking backward. 7. Inhale and lower the leg back down under control, resisting the cable's pull until the leg returns to the floor beside the non-working leg. 8. Complete all reps on one side, then unbuckle or transfer the strap and repeat the same number of reps on the other leg. 9. After the final rep, release the cable tension carefully before standing up or removing the strap. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is letting the lower back peel off the floor as the knee rises, which turns this into a lumbar exercise instead of a hip flexor exercise; if your back arches, lighten the weight and re-brace before each rep. - Do not hook your hands behind your head and crane the neck forward to 'help' the leg up; the arms are only there to keep you anchored to the floor. - Keep the cable path clean: if you are angled sideways to the machine, the strap will drag across your other leg, so square your hips to the pulley before starting. - A slow lowering phase is where most of the benefit hides for this movement; letting the cable snap the leg down wastes the stretched-position work at the front of the hip. - If you feel a pinch at the front of the hip at the top, shorten the range slightly instead of forcing the knee all the way to the chest. - The strap should sit snugly just above the ankle bone; a loose strap slides down during the set and changes where the load pulls on the leg. - Keep the non-working foot flat and that knee bent throughout; a straight free leg makes the pelvis want to tilt and pulls your lower back into the movement. - Hip flexors respond quickly to fatigue, so higher-rep sets with a light load are usually more productive than grinding heavy singles. - If your torso slides toward the machine across a set, you are losing tension and using momentum; reset your distance from the pulley between sets. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Which muscles does the Cable Lying Single Leg Hip Flexion work? The primary movers are the hip flexors at the front of the hip, mainly the iliopsoas, with the rectus femoris of the quadriceps assisting. The lower abs work isometrically to keep the pelvis and spine steady while the leg moves. ### Is the Cable Lying Single Leg Hip Flexion suitable for beginners? Yes, as long as the weight is kept light and the focus stays on controlling the lowering phase. The floor position supports the spine, which makes it easier to learn than standing cable hip flexion variations. ### Why lie on the floor instead of doing this exercise standing? Lying down fixes your torso and removes balance demands, so the only moving joint is the hip of the strapped leg. It also keeps tension on the hip flexors when the leg is down near the floor, a range where standing or bodyweight versions lose resistance. ### How far from the cable machine should I position myself? Lie far enough away that the cable is already under slight tension with your strapped leg resting on the floor. If there is slack at the start, the first part of every rep is wasted. ### Why does my lower back arch during the Cable Lying Single Leg Hip Flexion? That usually means the load is too heavy or the abs are not braced, so the pelvis tilts forward as the hip lifts. Reduce the weight, press your lower back toward the floor, and bend the non-working knee with that foot planted. ### How many reps and sets should I do? Two to three sets of 10 to 15 controlled reps per leg works well for most lifters. Because the range is short and the muscle is small, prioritizing slow tempo over heavy weight gives better results. ### What can I use instead of an ankle strap? A strap secured snugly around the lower shin just above the ankle works on most machines. Avoid looping the bare cable around the ankle, as it can pinch or slip during the rep. ### Should the knee stay straight or bend during the movement? Let the knee bend naturally as it travels toward your chest. Locking the knee straight shifts emphasis toward the rectus femoris and can reduce how high the hip can flex comfortably. ### Is it normal to feel this in the front of the thigh rather than the hip? Some work in the front of the thigh is expected because the rectus femoris assists hip flexion. If the thigh does all the work, slow the tempo and focus on driving the knee up from the hip rather than kicking the foot. ### Can I train both legs back and forth instead of finishing one side first? You can, but moving the strap between ankles mid-set is awkward and interrupts tension. Completing all reps on one leg before switching keeps the set clean and makes load adjustments simpler.