Back when I first started working out, the leg raise was one of the first exercises I tried. And it was one of my favorite moves right from the start. Here’s why:
1) I loved how it felt: It’s hard to describe, but some exercises just click with you. And for me, the leg raise was one of those exercises.
2) I liked that you didn’t need weight: I was surprised how tough the leg raise is–literally with just your body weight.
3) I felt it in my abs: My core was very weak when I first started working out, and I could actually feel that the leg raise was strengthening my core.
This was just my experience with the leg raise, but I guarantee if you give the leg raise a try, you’ll experience your own benefits. In this article, we’ll explore 6 leg raise variations, so you can try them all out and find which ones work the best for you.
Along the way, I’ll be sure to break down the muscles worked in each leg raise as well as all the benefits and a pro tip for each.
You can use ALL of the leg raises in this article to strengthen different muscles in your:
-Upper legs
- Abs
- Low back
- And Hips
We’re Back Muscle Solutions, and it’s our mission to multiply healthy backs all over the world. We do that with great resources on back massage, back stretching, and back fitness. Today’s all about fitness, so let’s get into it. Here’s everything you need to know about the leg raise.
Leg Raise Variations
There are many leg raise exercise variations out there for you to try, so I put them in order from beginner to advanced. Read on to decide your current level. And then, you can progress your intensity up from there.
Leg Raise #1: Straight Leg Raise
What Is A Straight Leg Raise?
I want to start with the straight leg raise today because this is one of the easier, beginner leg raises. It’s often used for injury prevention and muscle building for beginners and people participating in physical therapy.
In fact, many physical therapists use the straight leg raise as an exercise to evaluate hamstring tightness and overall core and hip flexor strength/mobility. This leg raise variation brings out obvious existing injuries a patient might have in the knee to hip flexor region.
Straight Leg Raise How To Guide
1) Lie on your back with both extended.
2) Bend your left leg, so your left knee is pointed toward the ceiling and your left foot is flat on the floor.
3) Keeping your right leg straight, raise it up until your leg is in line with your hip and perpendicular to your torso and the floor.
4) Pause for a few moments. Then, repeat.
5) Switch sides when you’re done with reps on the first side.
Straight Leg Raise Targeted Muscles
- Quadriceps
- Tensor Fasciae Latae (IT Band)
- Lower abdomen
- Lower back
- Obliques
Pro Tip: You can loop a resistance band around your legs to make this leg raise variation more difficult.
Leg Raise #2: Lying Knee Raise
What Is A Lying Knee Raise?
This leg raise variation now utilizes both legs together. But we’ll keep it easier by bending the knees here instead of keeping the legs straight and raising them.
Even with the bent knees, you’ll get a good core workout from the lying knee raise. Pay attention to your lower back during this leg raise–especially if you have pre-existing lower back issues. If you place your hands behind your lower back and glutes during the exercise, it provides better back support.
Lying Knee Raise How To Guide
1) Lie on your back with your palms on the floor at your side or behind your glutes and lower back for extra back support.
2) Keeping your back flat against the floor and your core braced, lift your heels up off the floor.
3) Then, bend your knees and bring them up to your chest or as far as is comfortable.
4) Pause for a moment. Then, lower back down to the starting position, and repeat.
Lying Knee Raise Targeted Muscles
Rectus Abdominis
Pro Tip: Lifting your heels off the floor intentionally before you start bringing your knees to your chest is an important step. When you do this, you’re slowing down to engage your abs fully during the leg raise.
Leg Raise #3: Lying Leg Raise
What Is A Lying Leg Raise?
Once you’ve mastered the straight leg raise and the bent knee raise, you can start to amp up the intensity with the lying leg raise. Now, we’re using both legs and keeping them straight the entire time.
As soon as you add in both legs in the straightened position, you’ll start to feel more core activation, and you’ll have to work extra hard to keep your lower back from rounding during the motion.
Raising two legs versus one is more demanding on the muscles and not recommended if you have an injury in the hips, knee, or core area.
Lying Leg Raise How To Guide
1) Start by lying on your back.
2) You can place your arms at your side or tuck them under your lower back and glutes for extra lower back support during the leg raise.
3) Flex your core and raise both legs up in the air, bringing them just in line with your hips and perpendicular to your torso and the floor.
4) When raising your legs, be sure to keep them straight. No bending your knees this time!
5) Engage your core by not letting your lower back arch (keep back flat on the ground).
6) Slowly lower down to the starting position, and repeat.
Lying Leg Raise Targeted Muscles
- Quadriceps
- Tensor Fasciae Latae (IT Band)
- Iliopsoas
- Lower abdomen
- Lower back
- Obliques
Pro Tip: As with most of the leg raise exercises here, avoid arching your back–especially now that you have both legs up in the air.
Also, many people tend to peel their shoulders up off of the floor instead of keeping them down on the ground. When you lift your neck and shoulders, it tends to put excessive strain on your neck.
Leg Raise #4: Lateral Leg Raise/Side Leg Raises
What Is A Lateral Leg Raise/Side Leg Raises?
Shifting away from abs here for a moment, the lateral leg raise (aka side leg raises) works a different set of muscles and has a completely different intention behind the exercise. That intention being strengthening muscles in the hips and buttocks.
Learning to isolate and activate muscles in the hips and buttocks will help prevent injury while making functional exercises easier and more beneficial.
Lateral Leg Raise/Side Leg Raises How To Guide
1) Start on your side propped up by your elbow.
2) Make sure your hips are aligned straight up and down, and raise your top leg straight up until you can feel a good amount of pressure in your outer hip.
3) Then, slowly bring your leg down and repeat this for a comfortable amount of repetitions.
Lateral Leg Raise/Side Leg Raises Targeted Muscles
- Obliques
- Outer thigh
- Hip flexors
Pro Tip: I just explained how to do the lying lateral leg raise, but the lateral leg raise exercise can also be done standing upright. Standing up will have a better effect on balance but lying down will be easier to isolate the Gluteus Medius Muscle. Whichever you choose, the most important aspect is isolating the upper glute muscle.
Leg Raise #5: Captain’s Chair Leg Raise
What Is A Captain’s Chair Leg Raise?
The Captain’s Chair is a stationary leg raise machine you may have seen at your local gym. It has two arm pads and a padded back, which provides back stability and arm support for you to…you guessed it…raise your legs.
Captain’s Chair Leg Raise How To Guide
1) Stand in the Captain’s Chair, securing your forearms and back in place.
2) Now, keeping your legs straight, raise them up until they are perpendicular to your body.
3) Hold for a moment. Then, slowly lower to the starting position, and repeat.
Captain's Chair Leg Raise Targeted Muscles
- Hip Flexors
- Abs
- Obliques
- Chest
- Shoulders
- Traps
- Lats
Pro Tip: To make the Captain’s Chair Leg Raise easier, you can bend your knees and bring them to your chest–similar to the lying knee raise.
We’ll talk about what I consider to be the most difficult leg raise next: The hanging leg raise. The hanging leg raise is so difficult because many people start to swing around and gain momentum during the hanging leg raise, which ends up taking the engagement out of their abs.
The Captain’s Chair is a helpful leg raise machine that basically takes the risk of that extra swing out of your leg raise techniques. Use this leg raise machine if you notice that you need extra stability and support to truly engage your abs.
Then, once your abs grow stronger through using the Captain’s Chair leg raise machine, progress up to the hardest leg raise variation: the hanging leg raise.
Leg Raise 6: Hanging Leg Raise
What Is A Hanging Leg Raise?
The hanging leg raise is one of many hip flexor exercises designed for strengthening the core and hip flexors. Because this leg raise variation truly leaves you hanging and leaves it all up to your body weight, this is the most strenuous leg raise exercise we’ll talk about today.
Hanging Leg Raise How To Guide
1) Start by gripping the bar and letting your body hang comfortably in a dead hang position.
2) Next, while keeping your core tight, bend at the hips and raise your legs up towards your hands.
3) Slowly lower your legs down while keeping constant tension in your abs the whole way through.
4) If this is difficult, start by only raising your legs to a 90-degree angle.
Hanging Leg Raise Targeted Muscles
- The lower and upper abdominals
- Tensor Fasciae Latae (IT Band)
- Iliopsoas (upper hip flexors)
- Obliques
- Low back
Pro Tip: You’ll feel your low back working in this movement, which is okay. But as soon as you start to arch your back, that’s your signal that your abs have disengaged, and there’s too much pressure on your back. Be sure to keep your abs activated and flexed during the entire motion of the hanging leg raise.
Also as I mentioned earlier, when you keep your core engaged, your torso will remain stable, and you won’t start swinging. If you feel yourself starting to swing, it may be time to dial it back and use a leg raise machine for The Captain’s Chair leg raise.
Leg Raise Benefits
If you’re not already sold on the leg raise exercise and its variations, here are just a few reasons why the leg raise is worthy of your consideration.
Leg Raise Benefit #1: Easy to Increase Difficulty
As you’ve already seen from this article, the leg raise is truly an exercise for everyone–regardless of current experience or strength. That’s why I put together this list of 6 leg rase variations, so you could assess your current level. And from there, you can continue to progress up to varying intensity levels.
Leg Raise Benefit #2: Easily Accessible
Most of the leg raise variations in this article can be performed from your own home–with the exception of the Captain’s Chair leg raise and the hanging leg raise. If you have a day where getting to the gym is just difficult, you don't have to skip out on working your core and hips with the leg raise.
Leg Raise Benefit #3: Works More Than Just Your Abs
Depending on the leg raise you choose, you’ll most likely be working way more than just your abs. The leg raise typically activates your hip flexors and lower back muscles as well.
Leg Raise Benefit #4: Safer on Your Knees Than Squats
With the exception of the lying knee bend, all of the leg raise variations in this article do not involve bending your knees. Squats are great for strengthening your knees, but if your knee joints are giving you issues and you need to take it easy on them, leg raises are a great choice.
Leg Raise Benefit #5: Better Ab Activation Than Planks
The lying leg raise is known to have better ab activation than planks. [3] While planks are still a great exercise, the leg raise raises your ab game to the next level.
Our Best Core Resources
At Back Muscle Solutions, we believe core strength and lower back strength are closely interconnected. Check out our best core and ab-strengthening resources below:
Articles
“Mastering Knee Tucks: Core Strengthening Guide”
“The McGill Crunch: Activate Your Core While Saving Your Back!”
“7 Core Exercises With Dumbbells for Sturdy, Ironclad Abs”
Videos
“Core Exercise Tips For Lower Back Pain"
“Overweight? Do THIS Core Exercise To Tighten Your Gut”
“3 Core Strengthening Exercises for Lower Back Stability”
Hip Massage
If you're looking for pain relief from tight hips, check out our at-home massage device: The QL Claw. The QL Claw is designed to massage your hip flexors, including the TFL muscle.
Leg Raise FAQs
What are leg raises good for?
Leg raises are good for working your abs, obliques, hip flexors, and lower back muscles.
How to do leg raises correctly?
To do leg raises correctly, ensure your back is flat against the floor or other surfaces throughout the motion. Any arch in your back could indicate that you’ve lost your ab engagement.
Do leg raises burn belly fat?
Leg raises build core muscles, which can really show through when paired with cardio and caloric deficit.
Why are leg raises so difficult?
Leg raises are so difficult because they require tons of core strength. If you have a weak core, leg raises will be more tough to perform. Check out the leg raise variations in this article to see a natural progression from easiest to hardest.
What is a common mistake when doing leg raises?
The most common mistake during leg raises is arching your back. When it comes to hanging leg raises, the most common mistake is starting to swing and gain momentum.
Are squats better than leg raises?
Squats are not necessarily better than leg raises. Squats require knee flexion while most leg raises take it easier on your knee joints.
Are leg raises better than planks?
Leg raises activate your abs even more effectively than planks. [3]
Sources:
[1] Donnelly, Joseph M. Travell, Simons & Simons Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: the Trigger Point Manual. 3rd ed., Wolters Kluwer Health, 2019.
[2] Davies, Clair, and Amber Davies. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief. 3rd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc., 2013.
[3] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031940605600764
[4] https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-back-and-musculoskeletal-rehabilitation/bmr181122