Introduction
Exercise: Lying Leg Raise Description: The lying leg raise is a core exercise where you lie flat on your back with your hands under your glutes for support, then lift both legs simultaneously towards your chest, lowering them slowly afterward.
Primary Benefits: This exercise effectively targets the lower abs and hip flexors, helping to strengthen and define the midsection, improve posture, and enhance stability during functional movements.
Effectiveness: Its effectiveness stems from its targeted muscle activation, low equipment requirements, and controlled movement pattern, making it suitable for various fitness goals, particularly core strength development and overall abdominal definition.
Muscles Worked
- Primary: Abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques)
- Secondary: Hip flexors (iliopsoas), lower back muscles (erector spinae), hip extensors (gluteus maximus, hamstrings), and quadriceps (quadriceps femoris).
How to Do It (Step-by-Step)
- Lie on your back with your lower back pressed flat against a yoga mat or exercise floor and your legs extended straight over your hips, palms facing down by your sides.
- Raise your shoulders and upper back off the ground while simultaneously bending at the hip to bring your legs towards your torso.
- Keep your legs straight and raise them as high as you can without lifting your lower back from the floor. Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your legs back down with control.
Tip: Maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise to prevent injury and ensure maximum effectiveness.
Rep & Rest Guidelines
- Strength: 4–6 reps, 2–3 min rest
- Hypertrophy: 8–12 reps, 60–90 sec rest
- Endurance: 12–20 reps, 30–60 sec rest
Using an auto progression system Auto Progression helps you effectively increase weight and reps over time.
A rest timer Rest Timer ensures accurate rest periods, maximizing the efficiency of your workout sessions.
Form Tips
- Maintain a stable lower back by contracting the abdominal muscles and pressing the small of your back into the floor.
- Keep your legs straight throughout the exercise and avoid pulling on your neck or using momentum to raise your upper body.
- Lower your legs slowly, controlling the movement, and pause briefly at the bottom position before raising them again.
When to Use It
- Strengthening lower abdominals for swimmers and divers.
- Improving core stability during yoga poses requiring hip flexion.
- Enhancing postural control in elderly individuals for daily activities.
- For a comprehensive workout history, track your progress using Workout History.
A lying leg raise primarily targets the lower abs and hip flexors.
Perform 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions, focusing on controlled movements.
Lie flat on your back with arms extended and legs raised slowly until parallel to the floor, then lower them under control.
Adding weight can increase resistance but be cautious as it may put strain on your lower back.
Other core exercises like planks, Russian twists, and bicycle crunches can help strengthen your core.
