Banded side raises for serious glute medius burn.
Stay tall and resist the leaning. The standing leg holds you steady while the working leg does the job.
Lifting your leg out to the side against a band pulling it inward puts your abductors, led by the glute medius, under tension through the whole sweep. Because the resistance comes from the side rather than gravity, the band fights you at the top of the lift where standing abduction normally goes light. Strong abductors keep your pelvis level when you run, lunge, and squat, which is exactly why this drill earns its warm-up and accessory slot.
That is normal and half the value. The standing side has to hold your pelvis level while the moving leg pushes out, so both hips are training at once, one moving, one stabilising. If the standing hip screams first, that side probably needs the work.
Only as high as you can without leaning your torso the other way, usually around 45 degrees. Leaning to fake extra height takes tension off the abductors. A shorter strict lift beats a big sloppy one.
Around the ankle, as set up here, gives a longer lever, which means more challenge from a lighter band. If that is too much for now, loop it just above your knee for the same pattern with less leverage.
