Alternate Leg Raise
Alternate Leg Raise Exercise Description
The Alternate Leg Raise is a bodyweight core and hip‑flexor exercise performed lying on your back. One leg lifts while the other remains long on the floor, training the anterior core to resist lumbar extension as the hip flexes. Prime movers are the iliopsoas and rectus femoris; the rectus abdominis, external and internal obliques, and transverse abdominis brace to stabilize the pelvis. The hamstrings of the down leg assist isometrically by helping keep that hip extended and the leg grounded. Emphasis is on slow, controlled motion without momentum so the pelvis stays level and the lower back maintains light contact with the floor. Range of motion is adjusted to what you can control—up to a vertical leg over the hip—without losing trunk position. It can be made easier by slightly bending the lifting knee or limiting height, or more challenging by hovering the down‑leg heel.
- Muscle Groups: Hips, Quads
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris
- Assisting Muscles: Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Stabilizing Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Flexors, Knee Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Front Quad, Hip Flexor
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Alternate Leg Raise Exercise
‘- Lie supine on a mat, legs extended, feet hip‑width, arms at sides, palms down.
– Set ribs down and gently brace; posteriorly tilt the pelvis just enough to keep the low back lightly in contact with the floor.
– Keep the left leg long on the floor; lift the right leg by flexing the hip, knee extended but not locked.
– Raise only as high as you can without the pelvis tipping or the low back arching (up to vertical over the hip).
– Pause briefly; keep both hips level and the down leg quiet.
– Lower the right leg slowly until the heel lightly touches the floor without resting.
– Switch sides and repeat with steady breathing (exhale up, inhale down).
– If the low back lifts or the pelvis rocks, reduce the height or slightly bend the moving knee; maintain controlled tempo throughout.
Alternate Leg Raise Tips
‘- Lie on your back with legs extended, feet hip‑width, arms at your sides, palms down.
– Set your ribs down, gently brace, and posteriorly tilt your pelvis so your low back stays in light contact with the floor.
– Keep the down leg long on the floor and quiet, helping that hip stay extended and the leg grounded.
– Lift the working leg by flexing the hip with the knee extended but not locked.
– Raise the leg only as high as you can without the pelvis tipping or the low back arching (up to vertical over the hip).
– Use slow, controlled motion without momentum so the pelvis stays level and the trunk position doesn’t change.
– Pause briefly at the top while keeping both hips level.
– Lower the leg slowly until the heel lightly touches the floor without resting between reps.
– Breathe steadily, exhaling as you lift the leg and inhaling as you lower it.
– If your low back lifts or the pelvis rocks, reduce the leg height or slightly bend the moving knee and keep the tempo controlled.
Alternate Leg Raise Beginner Introduction
The Alternate Leg Raise is a mat-based movement that relies only on bodyweight to challenge the core and hip flexors. In this exercise, a person lies face-up with the legs long. One leg travels upward while the opposite leg stays extended on the floor, creating a scissoring pattern. This setup challenges the front of the hips to lift the leg while the abs and side abs maintain a steady trunk position and help prevent excessive arching in the lower back. The hamstrings of the grounded leg assist by holding that leg long and the hip open.
This movement highlights control over speed and range rather than big, explosive motion. The aim is smooth lifting and lowering so the hips remain level and the low back stays gently connected to the surface underneath. Leg height adjusts based on how much stability the core can handle, up to a straight leg aligned roughly over the hip. Bending the rising knee slightly or using a smaller arc can lessen intensity, while hovering the opposite heel above the floor increases the challenge to the mid-section.