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Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise
Exercise

Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise

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The lying leg raise is a classic mat exercise in which you lie on your back and raise your straight legs toward the ceiling, then lower them under control. It strongly emphasizes the lower portion of the rectus abdominis along with the hip flexors, making it a staple for building core strength and control. Performed on the floor with no equipment, it scales easily from beginner knee raises to advanced straight-leg and scissor variations.

Muscles Targeted

  • Primary: Rectus abdominis (lower region)
  • Secondary: Hip flexors (iliopsoas), transverse abdominis
  • Tertiary: Obliques, quadriceps, adductors

Starting Position

Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs straight and together. Place your hands at your sides or tuck them slightly under your glutes to support the pelvis. Press your lower back into the floor, brace your core, and lift your heels a few inches off the ground to establish starting tension.

Execution Steps

  1. Brace your core and press your lower back firmly into the floor
  2. Raise both legs together toward the ceiling, keeping them as straight as comfortable
  3. Lift until your legs are roughly vertical, or as far as you can without the back arching
  4. Pause briefly at the top while maintaining tension in the abs
  5. Lower with control until your legs are just above the floor, keeping the back flat
  6. Repeat without resting your heels on the ground until the set is complete

Form Cues

  • Keep the lower back down: The lumbar spine should stay pressed into the floor throughout
  • Move slowly and under control, especially on the lowering phase
  • Initiate the movement with the abs, not by yanking with the legs
  • Keep the legs together and toes pointed for consistent tension
  • Stop lowering before your back arches off the floor

Common Mistakes

  • Arching the lower back: Letting the lumbar spine lift strains the back and shifts work off the abs.
  • Using momentum: Swinging the legs up reduces tension on the target muscles.
  • Lowering too far: Dropping the legs past your control point causes the back to arch.
  • Bending the knees excessively: Soft knees reduce difficulty unless used as a deliberate regression.
  • Holding the breath: Failing to breathe limits control and endurance.

Variations

  • Bent-knee (lying knee raise): Knees bent to reduce difficulty for beginners
  • Flutter kicks: Small, rapid alternating up-and-down kicks for endurance
  • Scissor kicks (nożyce): Legs crossing over and under one another for oblique and core demand
  • Hanging leg raise: Performed from a bar for an advanced challenge
  • Weighted leg raise: Holding a light dumbbell between the feet for added resistance

Tips for Progression

  • Straighten the legs: Progress from bent-knee to fully straight legs as you get stronger
  • Increase reps: Build to 15-20 controlled reps before adding difficulty
  • Slow the tempo: Lengthen the lowering phase to increase time under tension
  • Add load: Hold a light dumbbell or medicine ball between your feet
  • Progress to hanging: Move to hanging leg raises once floor reps are easy

Training Notes

Include lying leg raises in your core training two to three times per week, typically alongside anti-extension work like the hollow body hold and rotational work for balanced development. They work best for 12-20 controlled reps with a flat lower back and no momentum. If you feel the movement in your lower back rather than your abs, reduce the range of motion or bend the knees until your core strength catches up. Keeping the lumbar spine pressed into the floor is the key to training the abs safely and effectively.

Exercise Details

Body Parts
Abs
Category
Workout Center

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I do the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise?

Because the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise works abs, two to three sessions a week is a sensible range for most people. Leave at least a day between sessions that hammer abs so the tissue can recover and adapt. If you train it harder, do it less often.

Is the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise is rated beginner-friendly, so it is a solid starting point. Start light, nail the technique, and only add load once the pattern feels automatic. New to lifting? A coach can check your setup in a single session.

What should I do if the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise causes pain?

Stop the set right away. A working burn in abs is fine, but sharp or pinching pain is a signal, not a challenge. Reset your no equipment setup, drop the weight, and if the pain comes back, talk to a physio or certified trainer before your next session.

How much weight should I use for the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise?

Pick a load you can move with clean form for every planned rep, where only the last one or two feel genuinely hard. Control the weight in both directions. When form holds across all sets, nudge the load up a little.

Can I modify the Lying Leg Raise: Lower-Ab Floor Exercise?

Plenty of options exist. You can swap the no equipment for something similar, shorten the range of motion while you learn the groove, or change your stance to shift the emphasis around abs. Single-joint moves like this one also work well as a finisher after heavier lifts. Adjust to fit your body, not the other way round.