Today we will focus on the lower abdominal wall using the lying leg raise. Although easy to do, when done correctly, the lying leg raise will burn your lower abs mercilessly. Let us begin…
starting position
Lie down on the floor, preferably on a soft surface like a mat or rug, with your legs extended. Place your hands palms down under the bottom of your buttocks to lift them. This allows for a somewhat greater range of motion than if your butt were simply on the ground.
Use your abdominal muscles to draw your chest in the direction of your legs, lifting your head and shoulders off the ground. Now raise your legs just slightly so that your feet are an inch or two off the ground. You can maintain a very small bend in your knees, but otherwise your legs should be straight.
The movement
While keeping your abs tight, use them to raise your legs until they’re at a 45° angle. Stop, then lower your legs back to their starting location.
Repeat for the next repetition.
It’s important that you focus on using your abs to raise and lower your legs, not your hip flexors. If you use the latter, it will feel a bit like you are using your hips to lift your legs. As best you can, let your extended legs “dead” and pull them up and down with your lower abs.
The less you engage your hip flexors, the more your abdominal muscles will benefit.
It’s also crucial to avoid using momentum by swinging your legs up and down. Control the rise and fall of your legs to increase the effectiveness of this movement.
Climbing the Lying Leg Raise
To make the lying leg raise less taxing, try placing your legs on the floor between reps. You can also bend your knees during the movement to minimize stress on your abs. The more you bend your knees, the easier the movement becomes.
To raise the level of difficulty, try lifting your head and shoulders even higher off the ground by further contracting your upper abdominal muscles. The more you contract your upper abs throughout the exercise, the more work your lower midsection has to do.
To further work your lower stomach muscles, grasp a heavy object (dumbbell, plate, kettlebell, etc.) between your feet or ankles.
