What are Leg Lifts?
A strong core protects your lower back, supports most of your routine movements throughout the day, and improves athletic power and performance. Having a training program that strengthens all facets of your core is critical, and the leg lift is one of the most basic but useful exercises in strengthening and maintaining a tight core. Leg Lifts are a great exercise for beginners to strengthen and improve core muscles and core flexibility. The exercise is simple and effective, and can be used to build strength in your abdominal muscles before taking on more advanced movements.
The following muscle group is engaged by leg lifts:
- Core
How to Do Leg Lifts (Instructions):
Start in a supine position with your back and legs on the ground. With your arms at your sides, raise your legs off the ground while keeping your legs as straight as possible. Lower your legs back to the starting position without letting your legs touch the ground. Repeat.
Trainer Tips for Leg Lifts:
-
Progression (make harder)
- While performing the movement, raise and hold your torso off the ground 1-2 inches.
- Perform the movement slowly. Count to 2 as you raise your legs and count to 4 as you lower your legs.
- Perform Flutter Kicks.
-
Regression (make easier)
- Place your hands under your bottom while performing the movement.
- Perform the movement with your knees bent. Instead of raising straight legs, raise your legs with your knees bent.
-
Application:
-
Do a “Ladder” workout with leg lifts.
-
A “Ladder” is a workout that is comprised of ascending and descending repetitions. For example:
-
Perform one leg lift, then rest. Perform two leg lifts, then rest. Keep ascending until you feel like you are going to fail. Once you reach the failure point (let’s say 10), rest, then perform nine leg lifts, then rest. Descend until you are back at one.
-
-
-
Recent Videos
Video Tags
Fitness Resources Grounded in Biblical Truth
Layman's Fitness is dedicated to providing God-exalting information, motivation, methods, and workout plans so that the everyday man is better equipped to glorify God with his body.
Learn More