Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise Exercise Description
The Captain’s Chair Straight Leg Raise trains the anterior core and hip flexors using body weight. Supported on your forearms with your back against the pad, you lift straight legs by combining controlled hip flexion with a slight posterior pelvic tilt to bring the pelvis toward the ribcage. This emphasizes the rectus abdominis while the iliopsoas and rectus femoris drive the leg lift; the obliques assist by stabilizing the pelvis and preventing rotation. Proper scapular depression and retraction keep the shoulder girdle stable, and a neutral cervical spine maintains alignment. Executed without swinging, this exercise builds strength and control through the trunk while reinforcing bracing and pelvic positioning needed for safe leg-raise variations.
- Muscle Groups: Hips
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major
- Assisting Muscles: Rectus Abdominis, Rectus Femoris
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Rhomboid Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Hip Flexor
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise Exercise
‘- Step into the captain’s chair; place forearms on pads and grip the handles.
– Press your back lightly into the pad; set shoulders down and back (scapular depression/retraction); keep neck neutral.
– Bring ribs “down,” brace the abdominal wall, and keep pelvis neutral to start.
– Legs together, knees extended, toes in line with shins; avoid letting feet drift behind the body.
– Initiate by lightly tilting the pelvis posteriorly, then flex the hips to raise straight legs.
– Lift until thighs reach about parallel to the floor—or as high as you can without lumbar motion or swinging.
– Briefly hold the top with abs braced and pelvis tucked; do not shrug or arch the low back.
– Lower the legs under control to the start position, maintaining shoulder position and a quiet torso.
– Avoid using momentum, letting the low back round or hyperextend, or allowing the legs to separate or rotate.
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise Tips
‘- Press your back lightly into the pad and keep it there throughout the movement.
– Set shoulders down and back on the pads and avoid shrugging as you lift.
– Keep your neck in a neutral position; do not jut your head forward.
– Bring the ribs “down” and brace your abdominal wall before you start and as you move.
– Start by lightly tilting the pelvis posteriorly, then continue the lift by flexing at the hips.
– Keep legs together with knees extended and toes in line with your shins.
– Do not let your feet drift behind your body at the bottom of the movement.
– Raise your legs only as high as you can without your lower back moving or your body swinging.
– Briefly hold the top with your abs braced and pelvis tucked; avoid arching or rounding the low back.
– Lower the legs under control, keeping your torso quiet and your shoulder position unchanged.
– Avoid using momentum and do not allow the legs to separate or rotate during the lift.
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise Beginner Introduction
The Captain’s Chair Straight Leg Raise is a bodyweight core movement performed on a captain’s chair station, with the forearms supported and the back resting against a pad. From this suspended position, the legs travel upward in a long, straight line by bending at the hips and adding a gentle tuck of the pelvis, drawing the hips closer to the ribcage. This coordinated action highlights the abs while the hip flexors power the leg lift, with the side abs helping to steady the pelvis.
Throughout the motion, the upper body remains anchored by pulling the shoulders down and slightly back into the pads and keeping the head aligned with the spine. The exercise is built around smooth, deliberate reps rather than swinging, so the trunk behaves like a solid unit while the legs move. This makes it a valuable option for building midsection strength, reinforcing tension through the torso, and practicing precise pelvic control that carries over to other hanging or leg-raise style core variations.