Side Lying Groin Stretch
The side-lying groin stretch has you lie on your side and lift or hold your top leg in a raised position to lengthen the inner thigh and hamstring on your bottom side. It's a low-effort way to work on hip flexibility without needing to balance on your feet or hold any equipment.
Why it works
Your adductors and hamstrings both cross the hip joint, and both tend to tighten from long stretches of sitting or from training that emphasizes forward movement, walking, running, cycling, over side-to-side movement. Lying on your side and lifting the top leg away from the bottom one pulls the bottom leg's inner thigh into a stretched position while your body weight and the floor do most of the stabilizing work. That's the main advantage over a standing groin stretch: you get the same lengthening effect on the muscle without also needing balance or strength to hold the position.
Set up
- Lie on your side with your legs stacked and your body in a straight line.
- Rest your head on your bottom arm or prop it on your hand.
- Keep your hips stacked, not tipped forward or back.
How to do it
- Lift your top leg up and slightly forward, keeping it straight.
- Hold the leg in that raised position, feeling the stretch along the inner thigh and hamstring of your bottom leg.
- Breathe steadily and hold without forcing the leg higher than feels comfortable.
- Lower the leg slowly and rest for a moment.
- Switch sides and repeat the stretch lying on the other side.
Form cues
- Keep your hips stacked throughout the hold; don't let the top hip roll backward.
- Keep the lifted leg straight rather than letting the knee bend.
- Let the stretch build gradually with your breath instead of forcing the leg up quickly.
- Keep your bottom leg relaxed and straight on the floor for the full hold.
Breathing: Breathe slowly and evenly throughout the hold, letting each exhale ease you a little deeper into the stretch.
Common mistakes
Rolling the top hip backward to lift the leg higher.
Fix: Keep your hips stacked; a small, controlled lift with square hips stretches the target muscles better than a bigger lift with a rotated pelvis.
Bouncing the leg to try to deepen the stretch.
Fix: Hold the leg still at a comfortable height instead of bouncing. A steady hold is safer and more effective than repeated small pulses.
Holding your breath while trying to hold the leg up.
Fix: Keep breathing normally through the hold. Holding your breath adds tension that works against the stretch.
How to program it
- This is a gentle static stretch, so daily is fine, or use it as part of a warm-up or cool-down whenever your inner thighs or hamstrings feel tight.
- Hold each side for 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat two or three times per side if the muscle still feels tight.
- It pairs well with lower-body training days, either before as part of a warm-up or after to help the muscles relax.
Safety notes
- Stop if you feel sharp pain rather than a gentle, tolerable pulling sensation in the inner thigh or hamstring.
- If your hip bone presses uncomfortably into the floor, do the stretch on a mat or folded towel instead.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Static
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Stretching
Frequently asked questions
How long should I hold the side-lying groin stretch?
Hold each side for 20 to 30 seconds, and repeat two or three times per side if the area still feels tight afterward.
Can I do a groin stretch without lying on the floor?
Yes, a standing or seated groin stretch works the same inner-thigh muscles if lying down isn't an option, though the lying version needs less balance to hold.
Why does this stretch also pull on my hamstring?
The adductors and hamstrings both attach near the sit bone, so lifting the leg forward while lying on your side stretches both muscle groups at once rather than isolating just one.
Is it normal to feel this stretch more on one side?
Yes, tightness often differs side to side depending on how you sit, stand, or favor one leg during daily activity. Hold both sides for the same amount of time rather than matching how tight each one feels.