Alternate Leg Raise

Alternate Leg Raise Exercise Description

The Alternate Leg Raise is a controlled, supine hip-flexion exercise performed one leg at a time using only body weight. It targets the hip flexors—primarily iliopsoas and rectus femoris—with assistance from sartorius and tensor fasciae latae, while the abdominal wall (rectus abdominis, external/internal obliques, and transversus abdominis) stabilizes the pelvis and resists lumbar extension. Alternating legs emphasizes lumbopelvic control, teaching you to move at the hip without letting the lower back arch or the pelvis rotate. The goal is smooth hip flexion and extension under a steady trunk brace, not speed or momentum. Keep the range of motion where your low back stays “quiet” on the floor; if it starts to lift, shorten the lever arm or raise the working leg slightly higher. Expect a strong demand on trunk bracing as the nonworking leg hovers near the floor, increasing the anti-extension challenge.

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, 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: Other
Muscle Position: Anterior
Gender: Male

How To Do The Alternate Leg Raise Exercise

‘- Lie supine with arms by your sides, palms down; head and neck neutral.
– Extend both legs long with knees straight or softly unlocked; ankles neutral.
– Exhale and brace; draw ribs down and gently posteriorly tilt the pelvis so the low back stays in light contact with the floor.
– Maintain that brace throughout—no spinal movement.
– Lift one leg by flexing the hip to roughly 60–90 degrees, keeping the knee straight and pelvis level.
– Keep the opposite leg extended, heel hovering just off the floor without letting the low back arch.
– Pause briefly; breathe behind the brace.
– Lower the raised leg slowly until it hovers near the floor, maintaining posterior pelvic tilt.
– Switch legs smoothly; alternate without swinging or bouncing.
– Keep shoulders relaxed; avoid shrugging or pressing the chin forward.
– If the pelvis tips or the lumbar spine lifts, reduce the range of motion or allow a slight knee bend to regain control.

Alternate Leg Raise Tips

‘- Keep a gentle posterior pelvic tilt so your low back stays in light contact with the floor.
– Maintain your trunk brace the entire time; avoid any spinal movement as the legs move.
– Flex the hip to about 60–90 degrees while keeping the knee straight and pelvis level.
– Let the nonworking leg hover just off the floor without allowing the low back to arch.
– Move the legs smoothly and under control; avoid swinging or bouncing as you alternate.
– Pause briefly at the top of each leg raise and “breathe behind the brace” without losing tension.
– Lower the raised leg slowly until it hovers near the floor while keeping the pelvis posteriorly tilted.
– Keep shoulders relaxed and neck neutral; avoid shrugging or pushing the chin forward.
– If the pelvis tips or the lumbar spine lifts, reduce leg range of motion or allow a slight knee bend to regain control.

Alternate Leg Raise Beginner Introduction

The Alternate Leg Raise is a bodyweight floor exercise performed while lying on the back, lifting and lowering one leg at a time from the hip. Movement happens mainly at the hips as each leg travels through a comfortable arc, while the rest of the body stays relatively still. One leg rises while the other hovers close to the ground, creating a see-saw rhythm that highlights smooth, deliberate motion rather than speed or momentum.

This pattern places strong demand on the hip flexors at the front of the hips and thighs, while the abs and deep core muscles work hard to steady the pelvis and keep the lower back from arching. The emphasis sits on solid control through the center of the body, with the trunk acting as a stable base for the legs to move from. As the nonmoving leg hovers near the floor, the core has to resist the pull into an exaggerated back curve, building awareness of hip movement that happens without the pelvis twisting or tipping.