How to to leg raises lying down and the easier version knee raises. Leg raises are great for training your abs, specifically the lower abs.
One of the greatest things about these exercises, like with many other abdominal exercises, they can be performed at home on any flat surface. They’re extremely effective for targeting those abdominals, especially your lower abdominals and the hip flexor.
Leg Raises – Various Equipment
- Floor – flat surface
- Exercise mat
- Bench
- Wall mounted equipment – Available in some gyms
- Pull up bar
Exercise Variations
- Leg raises – fully raising your legs while straight
- Knee raises – only raising your knees
- Leg raises hanging, or knee raises – on a wall mount or a pull up bar
Exercise Benefits
Strong abdominals will aid you in your daily activities, your abs are core muscles and they are important for all basic physical movements, like walking and running for example.
Leg raises hanging requires a wall mount or a pull bar, this is usually no problem if you have access to a gym. However if you don’t have any equipment you can use the below techniques.
How to do Leg Raises Lying Down
Technique – just performing the exercise on the floor, exercise bench, lying on an exercise mat or a towel.
- Lie with your back on the floor or an exercise mat, place your hands under your buttocks, suspend your legs a few inches off the ground. (If using a bench hands behind your head holding a bench).
- Now slowly raise your legs up so they’re vertical or almost vertical, hold for a couple of seconds and then lower your legs until they’re just a few inches off the ground and repeat.
You can also perform leg raises on a bench with your legs hanging off the edge of the bench which will increase the range of motion of the exercise giving added benefit to the exercise.
Knee Raises
Leg raises is a physically difficult exercise, it requires a lot of abdominal strength to perform it properly and it can be too difficult for some people to perform. If this is the case you’ll be better off starting with the easier variation which is knee raises.
Technique
- Lie with your back on the floor or an exercise mat, place your hands under your buttocks, suspend your legs a few inches off the ground.
- Now bend your legs and bring your knees up towards you, your thighs should be vertical and your knees bent at about 90 degrees, and then straighten your legs and then repeat.
