Lying leg raise
Log this in the trackerA floor leg raise, the accessible step toward hanging work.
What it is
Lying flat, you raise straight legs to vertical and lower them without letting the lower back arch. It trains the abs to resist extension while the hips move.
Muscles worked
Primary: Core, Hip flexors. Secondary: Obliques.
How to perform it
- Lie flat with the legs straight and the hands under the hips or flat beside you.
- Press the lower back into the floor and hold it there.
- Raise the legs to vertical, keeping them straight but not locked.
- Lower slowly, stopping the moment the back begins to lift off the floor.
Common form faults
- Lower back arching on the way down. Stop the descent higher, or bend the knees. Range should follow control.
- Dropping the legs fast and bouncing off the floor. Three seconds down. The lowering is the part that trains the abs.
Programming
10 to 15 slow reps. Once you can lower to an inch off the floor with a flat back, move to hanging versions.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my back come off the floor?
- The abs are losing the battle against the pull of the hip flexors. Shorten the range and slow down; the range will grow.
- Hands under the hips or not?
- Hands under the hips give a little help holding the pelvis, which is a fine place to start. Arms by your sides is the harder, stricter version.