Seated In Out Leg Raise Over Bench
Seated In Out Leg Raise Over Bench Exercise Description
The Seated In‑Out Leg Raise over Bench is a bodyweight core exercise that combines hip flexion with controlled trunk positioning. It primarily targets the rectus abdominis and hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris), while the transverse abdominis and obliques brace to stabilize the pelvis and lumbar spine. Performing it on a bench allows greater hip range of motion and requires precise control to avoid lumbar extension as the legs move. You’ll maintain a tall, stable torso and move only at the hips and knees, emphasizing smooth, deliberate reps rather than momentum. This drill reinforces pelvic control and anti‑extension strength as the legs transition between a tucked and extended position.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Hips, Quads, Waist
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Abdominis, Rectus Femoris
- Assisting Muscles: Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body, Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Hips, Legs, Torso, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bench, Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Flexors, Knee Extensors, Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Front Quad, Hip Flexor, Stomach
- Movement Direction: Horizontal
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Seated In Out Leg Raise Over Bench Exercise
‘- Sit near the front edge of a flat bench; place your hands beside your hips with fingers forward.
– Set your shoulders by gently retracting and depressing the scapulae; keep your chest tall and ribs stacked over the pelvis.
– Lean your torso back slightly while maintaining a neutral spine; brace your abdominal wall.
– Bring your feet together and lift them off the floor, knees bent comfortably.
– Exhale as you draw your knees toward your chest by flexing at the hips; keep the spine long and the torso quiet.
– Inhale as you extend your legs forward until they are straight or nearly straight, heels hovering just above bench level.
– Do not let the lower back arch or the pelvis tip anteriorly as the legs extend.
– Keep your neck neutral (gaze forward), elbows softly bent, and shoulders down away from your ears.
– Move in a controlled tempo without swinging; pause briefly at each end to maintain balance and tension.
– End the range before your heels touch down or your trunk position changes.
Seated In Out Leg Raise Over Bench Tips
‘- Sit near the front edge of the bench so your legs can move freely through a larger range of motion.
– Place your hands beside your hips with fingers forward to help stabilize your torso.
– Gently retract and depress your shoulder blades to keep your chest tall and ribs stacked over your pelvis.
– Lean back only slightly and maintain a neutral spine as you brace your abdominal wall.
– Keep your feet together and lifted off the floor with comfortably bent knees before starting each rep.
– As you exhale and draw your knees toward your chest, focus on moving at the hips while keeping your torso quiet.
– As you inhale and extend your legs, stop when they are straight or nearly straight with heels hovering just above bench level.
– Do not allow your lower back to arch or your pelvis to tip forward as your legs extend.
– Keep your neck neutral with your gaze forward, elbows softly bent, and shoulders down away from your ears.
– Move in a controlled tempo without swinging, pausing briefly at each end of the range before reversing the motion.
Seated In Out Leg Raise Over Bench Beginner Introduction
The Seated In‑Out Leg Raise over Bench is a controlled bodyweight core move performed while sitting on a flat bench and lifting the legs. The seat height allows the hips and knees to travel through a larger arc, so the legs can curl in toward the body and then lengthen out again without touching down. Throughout this flowing in‑and‑out pattern, the upper body stays tall and steady, with only the legs in motion.
This exercise places strong demand on the abs and hip flexors, with deep abs and side abs bracing to steady the pelvis and lower back as the legs extend away. Because the bench encourages a bigger swing of the legs, it highlights the ability of the mid‑section to resist arching through the lower back. The movement style is typically smooth and unhurried, emphasizing tension over momentum and balance over speed. As a result, the drill reinforces precise control of the hips in relation to the torso while building core strength in a seated position.