Leg lifts or leg raises work the core as well as the hips and low back, making them a great move to master for improved overall strength. While situps and crunches work the abs, they don’t recruit other stabilizing muscles like leg lifts do.
If leg lifts work the core more thoroughly than situps and crunches, why are they performed less frequently? Leg lifts are more challenging than the well-known sit up, making them less attainable of a move. Because of this, leg lifts are a nice progression when you’ve been working on more basic ab exercises for some time.
If you want to start incorporating them into your core routine, proper form is key. Here’s how to perform the move — and build up the strength necessary to do it correctly.
Build Lower Abs With The Lying Leg Raises
Leg lifts work your core for better stabilization and balance, which leads to better overall control of your body. Leg lifts work the lower abs, but they also work the inner thighs (which in Pilates, are considered part of the core). Studies show that having a stable core is essential in preventing injury.
Besides working the lower abs and inner thighs, leg lifts also help with hip strength and flexibility due to the motion of your legs and hips during the move. Plus, the move gets your low back involved, which is beneficial for anyone who is interested in strengthening the full core region.
Because leg lifts do get your back involved, arching of the low back can become a major problem. I often find my clients arching their back too much when performing the leg raise. Not only does this take away from the main purpose of the leg raise — working the core — but it also can cause injury.
Functional Standing Core & Abs Exercises
Additionally, the speed of the leg lift is somewhat of an issue for some of my clients. While moving your legs up in the air at a faster speed may make the move feel easier, it also makes it less effective. To avoid these common mistakes, keep these tips in mind:
Leg lifts can be modified for all skill levels while keeping the basic movement the same. Because the hard part of the leg lift comes when holding your feet just above the ground, modified leg lifts allow you to hold with your legs higher above the ground or even with slightly bent knees.
Begin by lying on your back with your feet straight out in front of you and your arms to your sides. When lifting your legs above the ground, try bending slightly at the knees to make the move easier. When lowering your legs down, hold them at a further distance off the ground instead of hovering them above the floor.
How To Do The Eccentric Leg Raise
Without a strong core, leg lifts may feel extra challenging. However, once you acknowledge your areas of weakness and work on strengthening your abdominal region, you’ll be able to feel confident performing the move. These other exercises will help you build that strength.
Begin in the same starting position as the traditional leg lift. Instead of lifting both legs, lift only one while keeping the other on the ground. Slowly lower your leg until your foot is hovering over the mat. Hold for 3 seconds, then perform on the other side. Continue alternating.
Sit on the floor with your knees bent so that your feet are on the mat. Lean your upper body back slightly while keeping your spine straight until you feel your core engage. Lift your feet off the mat, keeping your legs together. Hold your arms straight out in front of you and straighten your legs toward the sky, forming a V shape with your body. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
Top 12 Ankle Weight Exercises For Abs
Stand with your back against a wall. Bend your knees, sliding down the wall so that your thighs are parallel to the ground. Make sure your feet are far enough away from the wall that your knees are over your ankles and not further. Hold this position for 20 seconds, using your abs to stabilize your body. Hold your arms out in front of you, or keep them straight down at your sides.
In the same starting position as the leg lift, begin fluttering your legs up and down as they hover above the ground. Remember not to arch your back or lift your neck off the ground. If your back begins to arch, raise your legs up further from the ground or bend at the knee. Perform the scissor kick motion for 20 seconds.
Stephanie Mansour is a contributing health and fitness writer for . She is a certified personal trainer, yoga and Pilates instructor and weight-loss coach for women. She hosts “Step It Up with Steph” on PBS. Join her complimentary health and weight-loss challenge and follow her for daily inspiration on Instagram and in her new app.If you’re doing , don't even think about getting up off the ground until you've done a few sets of lying leg raises.
How To Build Incredible Abs With Hanging Knee Raises
Not only will this move sculpt the hell out of your core, but it also improves the flexibility of your hip flexors—crucial for aiding every step you take and every squat you make.
How to: Lie on a mat on the floor, face up, legs extended. Place your hands underneath your lower back and glutes so your pelvis is supported. Begin to raise your legs toward the ceiling, pressing your thighs together and keeping the legs straight. Lift until your hips are fully flexed and you can’t go any higher with straight legs, then lower back down and repeat.
Form note: Move slow and with control, making sure not to arch your back at any point in the move, says Jenna Epperly, ACE-certified trainer at Jim White Fitness & Nutrition Studios in Virginia Beach, VA.
Man Demonstrates How To Perform Lying Leg Raises Ab Exercise
Reps/sets you should do to see results: Repeat 15 to 20 times for three to four sets. If performing solo (not in a circuit), rest 30 seconds between sets.
Lying leg raises are touted as a killer abs exercise—because they are. But your hip flexors actually reap some major benefits of this move, says Epperly. So don't be surprised if your hips feel a bit of the burn during this one.
Strong hip flexors will improve your runs, your spin game, and your squat, so this is a great move to add to any routine—regardless of your activity of choice, says Epperly.
Hanging Leg Raises
Lying leg raises can also help alleviate low back pain, she adds, since it improves the overall strength and stabilization of your core.
Aim to work lying leg raises into your routine two to three times a week. “It’s such a versatile exercise, you really have the freedom to add it in whatever way you’d like, ” says Epperly. Leveraging it in a workout that targets the opposing muscle groups (the lower back, for instance) is a great choice. But Epperly's go-to is adding lying leg raises at the end of an abs circuit workout.
If the traditional method of raising and lowering completely straight legs is too hard (hint: when you can't keep your back flat), start by performing the move with bent legs, says Epperly.
How To Do Leg Lifts: Strengthen Your Hips, Abs And Back
When the move with straight legs feels like a breeze, there are a few options for how to make it more difficult:
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The Leg Raises Ab Workout
Emma Watson Is So Toned In An Oscars Naked Dress This Popular Running Watch Is 42% Off at Amazon Kelly Ripa Shows Toned Body In Sheer Oscars Dress How To Breathe While Running, According To A CoachYour all body structure has unique importance but some parts have gained special attention like your abs. many people have a dream to develop their six-packs. But it’s a tough challenge but not impossible. Lower belly fat is the worst part of your body that can totally disturb your body structure. But making your body structure right can consume the tones of crunches for the productive results.
Make a position of push up and turn it into like a plank-like structure in which your palms will be on floor and legs will be straight. Keep your body in the streamline position and pick your left knee and move it towards the chest and then do it with the right as well. By the repletion of this exercise, you can have a splendid effect on your lower abs.
For this exercise, you must lay down on the floor, hands under your buttocks with palm down and then try to raise your legs until they get perpendicular in position. Hold them for some seconds and then get them down according to the original state. To make this exercise challenging you can hold your legs in the horizontal condition and save them to touch the ground to repeat the exercise to make more
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