Sitting Floor Side To Side Leg Raise In Out Crunch
Sitting Floor Side To Side Leg Raise In Out Crunch Exercise Description
A seated, bodyweight core exercise that blends an “in–out” leg extension with small side-to-side leg sweeps. It primarily targets the rectus abdominis and the external/internal obliques, with the hip flexors assisting to lift and control the legs. The movement challenges lumbopelvic stability by asking you to brace the trunk while the legs move in multiple planes. Keeping a slight posterior pelvic tilt and a neutral neck helps reduce excessive lumbar extension and neck strain. Use a controlled range you can stabilize—quality of tension and smooth, precise motion matter more than how far the legs travel.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Obliques, Waist
- Target Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris
- Stabilizing Muscles: Multifidus, Quadratus Lumborum, Transversus Abdominis, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Torso
- Body Surface: Front, Side
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Flexors, Trunk Lateral Flexors, Trunk Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Deep Side Abs, Side Abs, Stomach
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Anterior, Lateral
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Sitting Floor Side To Side Leg Raise In Out Crunch Exercise
‘- Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet flat; place hands on the floor slightly behind your hips, fingers forward or slightly outward.
– Lengthen through the crown of your head; draw ribs down and brace the abdominal wall. Set a slight posterior pelvic tilt.
– Lift both feet to hover so shins are roughly parallel to the floor; keep knees and ankles together.
– Exhale as you draw knees toward your chest (hip flexion with a small pelvic tuck). Keep the chest open and shoulders relaxed.
– Inhale to extend legs out to a comfortable range without touching the heels down; maintain trunk bracing and a neutral neck.
– With knees still lifted and bent, sweep both knees a few inches to the right, return to center, then a few inches to the left, and return to center. Keep hips level and shoulders quiet.
– Move slowly and deliberately—no swinging. Keep shoulder blades gently retracted and depressed.
– Keep your gaze forward with a slight chin tuck; avoid craning the neck.
– If the lower back feels strained, reduce the leg range, sit a bit more upright, or lightly tap heels to the floor on the “out” phase while maintaining the brace.
– Progress only when you can keep the pelvis steady and the ribs stacked over the pelvis throughout.
Sitting Floor Side To Side Leg Raise In Out Crunch Tips
‘- Place your hands slightly behind your hips with fingers pointing forward or slightly outward for support.
– Lengthen through the crown of your head, draw the ribs down, and brace the abdominal wall with a slight posterior pelvic tilt.
– Hover both feet with shins roughly parallel to the floor, keeping knees and ankles together.
– As you draw the knees toward your chest, exhale and add a small pelvic tuck while keeping the chest open and shoulders relaxed.
– When extending the legs out, inhale and move only to a comfortable range without letting the heels touch down, maintaining trunk bracing and a neutral neck.
– During the side-to-side sweeps, move the knees only a few inches each way and keep the hips level and shoulders quiet.
– Move slowly and deliberately with no swinging, keeping the shoulder blades gently retracted and depressed.
– Keep your gaze forward with a slight chin tuck, avoiding any craning of the neck.
– If your lower back feels strained, reduce how far the legs travel, sit a bit more upright, or lightly tap the heels to the floor on the “out” phase while maintaining your brace.
– Progress the difficulty only when you can keep the pelvis steady and the ribs stacked over the pelvis throughout the movement.
Sitting Floor Side To Side Leg Raise In Out Crunch Beginner Introduction
This seated, no-equipment core move puts the spotlight on the abs and side abs while the hip flexors assist in lifting and steering the legs. The “in–out” leg extension blends a tucked-knee position with a straighter leg reach, followed by small side-to-side sweeps of the legs. Throughout the motion, the middle of the body works as a steady base while the legs travel in different directions, creating a strong challenge for the lower back and hips area.
Because the legs hover instead of resting on the floor, the exercise emphasizes steady tension and smooth control rather than big, flashy movements. A gentle curl of the hips under the body and a long, relaxed neck help reduce strain on the lower back and neck. The main theme is precision: a range of motion that feels manageable, deliberate pacing, and a steady upper body as the legs move. Over time, this pattern can build better coordination between the core, hips, and legs.