Front Back Leg Raises

Description

How to Do Front Back Leg Raises

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, chest up, and shoulders relaxed; ensure you have enough space to move your leg forward and backward.

2. 2
   Setup

   Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine to stabilize your torso and maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.

3. 3

   Keeping your leg straight, slowly raise one leg forward as high as comfortable without arching your lower back, exhaling as you lift.

4. 4

   Briefly pause at the peak of the forward raise, then slowly lower the leg past the starting position and extend it backward, inhaling as you lower.

5. 5

   Raise the leg backward as high as comfortable, squeezing your glute, without leaning your torso forward excessively.

6. 6

   Return the leg to the starting position with control, then repeat the forward and backward movement for the desired repetitions before switching legs.

Tips

• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement; avoid excessive arching or rounding of the lower back to protect your spine.
• Focus on slow, controlled movements to maximize muscle engagement in your hip flexors and extensors, rather than relying on momentum.
• If balance is a challenge, lightly touch a wall or stable object with one hand for support, gradually reducing assistance as your balance improves.
• Coordinate your breath: exhale as you raise the leg (effort phase) and inhale as you lower it to maintain core stability and rhythm.

Common Mistakes

• ×Arching the lower back when raising the leg forward reduces hip flexor engagement; fix this by strongly engaging your core and only raising the leg as high as you can without lumbar extension.
• ×Leaning the torso excessively when raising the leg backward reduces glute activation; fix this by keeping your chest upright and focusing on hip extension, using your glutes, rather than compensating with spinal movement.
• ×Swinging the leg quickly without control minimizes muscle work; fix this by slowing down the movement to ensure consistent muscle activation throughout the full range of motion.