Lying Leg Raises
Lying leg raises are a core strengthening exercise that primarily targets the lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors. Performed flat on your back, this bodyweight movement strengthens the anterior core while improving pelvic stability.
Because lying leg raises heavily recruit the hip flexors alongside lower abs, Iridium checks your 7-day history to ensure these secondary muscles haven't exceeded their Maximum Recoverable Volume from recent heavy lower-body days. The system tracks your performance relative to body weight and uses RPE trends to determine when to increase rep targets or rotate to a different core variation.
Form Cues
- Press your lower back firmly into the floor.
- Brace your core as if preparing for a punch.
- Lower your legs slowly and with control.
- Stop the descent just before your lower back arches.
- Don't let your lower back arch off the floor.
- Don't swing your legs using momentum.
- Don't let your heels touch the ground between reps.
- Don't lift your head or strain your neck.
Common Mistakes
- Excessive lower back arching
- Using momentum to lift
- Lowering legs too quickly
- Straining the neck
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the rectus abdominis, specifically emphasizing the lower region by leveraging the weight of your legs against gravity. The hip flexors (iliopsoas) act as strong secondary movers to assist in the movement, while the deep core muscles work isometrically to stabilize the spine against the floor.
Primary
Secondary
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