Lying leg hip raise
Strengthen your lower abs and hip flexors with the lying leg hip raise. Lift your legs and hips towards the ceiling for a powerful core workout.
Description
A bodyweight exercise that targets the lower abs and hip flexors. Perform this exercise by laying flat on your back, raising your legs and hips up towards the ceiling, then slowly lowering them back down.
How to Do Lying leg hip raise
- 1Setup
Lie flat on your back on the floor, keeping your lower back pressed into the ground. Place your hands under your glutes for support or by your sides.
- 2Setup
Extend your legs straight, keeping them together, and either slightly off the floor or with knees bent at a 90-degree angle, depending on your core strength.
- 3
Engage your core and, keeping your legs straight or slightly bent, lift your legs and hips straight up towards the ceiling until your lower back is off the floor.
- 4
Pause briefly at the top, focusing on squeezing your lower abdominal muscles. Visualize driving your heels towards the ceiling.
- 5
Slowly and with control, lower your hips and legs back to the starting position, ensuring your lower back remains stable and doesn't arch excessively.
Tips
- Focus on initiating the movement from your lower abs, not just swinging your legs or using momentum from your hip flexors.
- Exhale as you lift your legs and hips, and inhale as you slowly lower them, maintaining constant tension in your core.
- Keep your gaze fixed straight up to the ceiling to help maintain a neutral neck position throughout the exercise.
- For increased difficulty, try to keep your legs as straight as possible without letting your lower back arch off the floor excessively.
Common Mistakes
- ×Using momentum to lift your hips is a common error; instead, control the movement by engaging your lower abdominals to lift and lower your hips smoothly.
- ×Arching your lower back off the floor during the descent can strain your spine; ensure your core remains tight and your lower back stays pressed into the ground as you lower your legs.
- ×Dropping your legs too quickly on the way down reduces muscle engagement and can cause injury; consciously control the eccentric phase to maximize time under tension.
Variations
Lying Knee Raise
Target your lower abs and hip flexors with the lying knee raise. This effective bodyweight exercise builds core strength and improves stability.
Lying Leg Raise
Strengthen your core and target lower abdominal muscles with the lying leg raise. This effective exercise builds strength and improves hip flexor control.
Lying Bent Legs Raise
Strengthen your lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors with the Lying Bent Legs Raise.
Lying Leg Hip Raise on Floor
Strengthen your core and sculpt your lower abs with the lying leg hip raise. This bodyweight exercise targets the iliopsoas and rectus abdominis for a
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