Instructions

1

Lie on your back on a flat surface with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, positioned hip-width apart. Keep arms extended along your sides or crossed over your chest.

2

Engage your core by bracing your abdominal muscles. Ensure lower back maintains neutral position with minimal arch. Head remains in neutral alignment with spine.

3

Slowly lower both legs toward the floor by extending at the hip and knee joints, allowing the legs to straighten while maintaining core tension. Lower legs only as far as you can control without lower back arching excessively.

4

Contract the rectus abdominis and iliopsoas to lift and bring legs back up to starting position with controlled movement. Return to bent-knee position with feet near floor or raised position depending on difficulty.

PRIMARY MUSCLESRectus Abdominis

SECONDARY MUSCLESIliopsoas, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae

EQUIPMENTBody weight

DIFFICULTYIntermediate

Overview

If you want to isolate and overload the Rectus Abdominis, the Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up is an excellent addition to your routine. The mechanics of this Strength exercise specifically bias the Waist, while the use of Body weight allows for a smooth, natural resistance curve.

Benefits

Utilizes Body weight to create sustained mechanical tension, forcing deep muscle adaptation.
Improves overall Waist stability and proprioception during heavy loads.
Reduces the likelihood of Waist injuries by reinforcing connective tissue strength.

Common Mistakes

Losing core tension, leading to poor spinal alignment and reduced power output.
Rushing the repetition tempo instead of focusing on the mind-muscle connection with the Waist.
Using excessive momentum to swing the Body weight rather than controlling the eccentric phase.
Shrugging the shoulders or compensating with secondary muscles rather than isolating the Rectus Abdominis.

Pro Tips

If you feel this primarily in your joints rather than the Rectus Abdominis, instantly lower the weight and readjust your Body weight setup.

Exercise Variations

Dumbbell Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up
Cable Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up
Banded Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up

Beginner Tips

If you are new to the Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up, focus on mastering the movement pattern with zero weight before adding Body weight.

Leg Raise Hip Lift with Head-up