The sartorius -- the longest muscle in the human body -- is a thin muscle that originates on the anterior iliac spine at the front of the hip, and inserts at the top of the tibia on the medial side, just below the knee. It has a complex set of actions, as it flexes the hip as well as abducting and laterally rotating the thigh. You tighten your sartorius muscle when you move your knee outward so you can lift your lower leg and rest your ankle on your other knee.
Plie Squat
The sartorius is one of the muscles that dancers depend on to perform a plie. To do a plie squat exercise, stand in a wide stance, feet out farther than your shoulders and toes turned outward. Keeping your back straight, sink your hips toward the floor as far as you comfortably can, as if sitting. Return to your starting position and repeat the exercise five times. Rest and repeat the set again if you can do it without pain in your knees or back.
Side-Lying Leg Lift
Lie on your side with the lower leg bent so the knee is in front of your hips and the upper leg is straight, in line with your spine. Rotate your upper leg so the toes point toward the ceiling and raise your leg toward the ceiling, keeping the toes pointed up. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Supine Leg Lifts
Lying on your back, with straight legs, lift your feet off the floor a few inches. Bring your knees to your chest and then straighten your legs again while keeping your feet from touching the floor. Keep your low back pressed against the floor. Repeat this five times and rest.
Resistance Band
Using a resistance band, sit in a chair with the band wrapped around the lower thigh of one leg. Hold the two ends of the band on the ground with your other foot. Lift your knee to your chest as high as possible, then return to your starting position, controlling the movement so that it's smooth from beginning to end. Repeat a few times and then vary the exercise by swinging your knee to the side after you raise your leg from the floor.
Considerations
Stop immediately if the exercise causes pain. Stretch your legs after exercising to keep the muscles balanced. If you suffer from knee pain or have a knee injury, ask your doctor before performing these exercises. Begin any new exercise program slowly and build repetitions gradually.
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