Today we’ll concentrate on the lower abdominal wall using the lying leg raise. Although simple to do, when carried out properly the lying leg raise will scorch your lower abs mercilessly. Let’s get started
The Starting Position
Lie on the floor, preferably on a soft surface like a yoga mat or rug, with your legs straight. Place both hands palm-down beneath the lower part of your butt to raise them. This enables a rather greater range of motion than if your glutes were merely on the ground.
Use your ab muscles to bring your chest in the direction of your legs, raising your head and shoulder blades off of the floor. Lastly, lift your legs just a bit so that your feet are an inch or two from the floor. You may keep a very minimal bend in your knees, but otherwise your legs should be straight.
The Movement
Keeping your abs tightly contracted, use them to raise your legs until they are at a 45 angle. Pause, then lower your legs to their beginning location.
Repeat for the next repetition.
It’s essential that you focus on employing your abdominal muscles to raise and lower your legs, not your hip flexors. If you employ the latter it should feel a bit like you are employing your hips to lift your legs. As best you can, let your extended legs “go dead” and draw them up and down using your lower abs.
The less you activate your hip flexors, the more your abdominal muscles will benefit.
It’s also essential to avoid the use of momentum by swinging the legs up and down. Control the ascent and descent of your legs to enhance the effectiveness of this exercise.
Scaling the Lying Leg Raise
To make the lying leg raise less demanding, try setting your legs on the floor between reps. You may also flex the knees throughout the movement to scale back the tension on the abdominals. The more you bend your knees, the easier the movement becomes.
To raise the level of difficulty, try lifting your head and shoulders farther off the floor by firmly crunching your upper ab muscles more. The firmer you contract your upper abdominals through the movement, the more work your lower stomach muscles will have to do.
To work the lower mid-section more, grip a weighted object (dumbbell, plate, kettlebell, etc) in between your feet or ankles.
For more amazing tips for a flatter stomach, be sure to check out the world’s most effective waist exercise program.