Lying Leg Raise

Equipment

No Equipment Needed

Muscle Group

Core

Setup

Use a mat on a flat surface with enough space to fully extend your legs. If your lower back tends to arch, place your hands under your glutes for support or perform the movement with bent knees until you can maintain control.

Starting Position

Lie on your back with legs straight and together. Arms are by your sides with palms down (or hands tucked under glutes for added pelvic support). Brace your core by pulling your ribs down and lightly pressing your low back into the mat. Keep your head relaxed and neck neutral.

Execution

Inhale and brace. Keeping your legs straight, slowly lift them up by flexing at the hips while maintaining a tight core and a flat lower back. Raise your legs until they’re around 60–90 degrees (or as high as you can without your pelvis lifting excessively). Exhale near the top. Lower your legs back down under control, stopping just before your heels touch the floor to keep tension on the abs. Repeat for the desired reps with smooth tempo.

Tips on doing this exercise

Think “ribs down, low back glued”—range comes second to control.

Lower only as far as you can while keeping your back flat; shorten the range if needed.

Use a slow lowering phase (2–3 seconds) to make the exercise more effective.

If hip flexors dominate, slightly bend the knees or switch to dead bugs until control improves.

To progress: pause 1 second just above the floor, slow the tempo, or advance to hanging leg raise variations once strict reps are easy.

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Common Mistakes

Letting the low back arch off the floor (loss of core control)

Dropping the legs too fast and using momentum

Swinging the legs or bouncing at the bottom

Lifting too high and letting the hips/pelvis tip up excessively (turns into more of a hip movement)

Holding your breath and losing brace

Performing reps with a range that forces poor form (too low too soon)

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Recommended Ranges

Core strength: 3–5 sets of 6–12 reps (slow, strict)

Hypertrophy/abs focus: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps (controlled, constant tension)

Beginner: 2–3 sets of 6–10 reps (shorter range or bent-knee variation)
Rest 45–90 seconds between sets.

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