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How to do the Lying Leg Raise Flat Bench

CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate

The lying leg raise on a flat bench is one of the most effective tools for building true lower abdominal strength and anterior core control. Master this movement and you build the kind of deep, functional midsection that transfers to every lift in your program.

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Muscles worked

Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back

Step-by-step

  1. Lie flat on the bench with your hands gripping the edge behind your head, legs extended and heels just off the surface.
  2. Brace your core hard, press your lower back into the bench, then raise both legs together until they reach vertical.
  3. Lower your legs slowly under control, stopping just before your heels touch the bench to maintain constant tension.
  4. Exhale at the top of each rep and inhale on the descent, keeping your neck neutral and shoulders down throughout.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back arch off the bench on the descent, which shifts stress to the hip flexors and compresses the lumbar spine — fix this by actively pressing your lower back into the bench before and during every rep.
  • Using momentum to swing the legs upward instead of contracting the abs — fix this by pausing for one count at the bottom and initiating each rep with a deliberate abdominal contraction.
  • Gripping the bench so tightly that the shoulders shrug and the upper body tenses — fix this by using a light grip only for stability and keeping your shoulders packed down away from your ears.

Pro tip — At the top of the movement, tilt your pelvis into a posterior tuck by slightly lifting your tailbone off the bench — this small adjustment eliminates the hip flexor shortcut and forces the lower abs to do the work most people never actually reach.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps

Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.

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