Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise

Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise Exercise Description

The Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise trains controlled hip flexion while your trunk resists extension. Lying supine with a band looped around the midfeet and anchored behind your head, you raise and lower both legs without letting the low back arch off the floor. Primary movers are the hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris), with the anterior core—rectus abdominis and obliques—stabilizing the pelvis and lumbar spine. The band increases load through the range and emphasizes smooth, eccentric control on the way down. This variation builds precise lumbopelvic control for a clean, momentum-free leg raise.

Muscle Groups: Hips, Quads
Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris
Assisting Muscles: Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae
Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Rectus Abdominis
Body Area: Lower Body
Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
Body Surface: Front
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Resistance Band
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 Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise Exercise

‘- Secure a resistance band to a low, sturdy anchor behind your head; loop the band around the midfoot of both shoes.
– Lie supine. Arms at your sides pressing lightly into the floor, or hold the anchor to prevent sliding.
– Bring legs together, ankles dorsiflexed, knees softly bent (not locked). Point kneecaps up.
– Brace the abdominal wall; keep ribs down and a neutral spine. Avoid excessive lumbar arch.
– Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you flex the hips to lift both legs, moving as one unit.
– Raise until thighs approach vertical—or the highest point you can reach without the pelvis tipping.
– Pause briefly; keep the pelvis steady.
– Lower slowly against the band’s tension until heels hover just off the floor, maintaining trunk control.
– Keep neck and shoulders relaxed; gaze up.
– If the low back begins to lift or you feel pelvic tilt, reduce the range of motion and maintain control.
– Finish by carefully removing the band from your feet before sitting up.

Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise Tips

‘- Secure the band to a low, sturdy anchor behind your head and loop it around the midfoot of both shoes before you lie down.
– Lie supine and either press your arms lightly into the floor or hold the anchor to prevent sliding.
– Keep your legs together with ankles dorsiflexed, knees softly bent (not locked), and kneecaps pointing straight up.
– Brace your abdominal wall, keep your ribs down, and maintain a neutral spine to avoid excessive lumbar arch.
– Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you flex the hips to lift both legs, moving them as one unit.
– Raise your legs only as high as you can without the pelvis tipping, aiming for thighs approaching vertical if you can maintain control.
– Briefly pause at the top while keeping the pelvis steady.
– Lower your legs slowly against the band’s tension until your heels hover just off the floor, maintaining trunk control.
– Keep your neck and shoulders relaxed with your gaze up throughout the movement.
– If your low back starts to lift or you feel the pelvis tilting, reduce your range of motion and focus on maintaining control.
– At the end, carefully remove the band from your feet before sitting up.

Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise Beginner Introduction

The Resistance Band Lying Leg Raise is a floor-based band exercise that blends hip strength with steady core control. Lying on the back with a looped band around the middle of both feet and fixed to a solid point behind the head, both legs move together against the band’s pull. As the hips bend to lift the legs and then straighten to lower them, the hip flexors do the bulk of the work while the abs and side abs help keep the pelvis and lower back steady against the floor.

Because the band tightens throughout the path of the movement, tension increases especially during the descent, highlighting a slow, controlled lowering phase rather than relying on swinging or momentum. The trunk stays calm and stable while the legs travel up and down, creating a strong connection between the hips and lower spine. Over time, this pattern supports crisp, repeatable leg raises with a clear sense of control at the hips and midsection.