Decline Leg Hip Raise
Decline Leg Hip Raise Exercise Description
The Decline Leg Hip Raise is a bodyweight core exercise performed on a decline bench that combines a controlled leg raise with a posterior pelvic tilt. It emphasizes the rectus abdominis’ role in spinal flexion and pelvic control while the hip flexors (iliopsoas, rectus femoris) lift the legs. The decline angle lengthens the lever arm, increasing the demand on the anterior core to prevent lumbar extension as you move. The goal is not just to lift the legs, but to curl the pelvis so the sacrum leaves the bench briefly, then return under control. Expect support from the obliques for trunk stabilization and rib-to-pelvis control. Proper form prioritizes a neutral neck, steady breathing, and avoiding momentum or swinging.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Hips, Waist
- Target Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: Rectus Femoris
- 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: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Flexors, Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Hip Flexor, Stomach
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Decline Leg Hip Raise Exercise
‘- Set a decline bench. Lie supine with your head at the higher end and hands gripping the top handles or edges for support.
– Bring shoulder blades lightly down and back; keep your neck neutral and eyes up.
– Brace the abdominal wall and posteriorly tilt the pelvis so the low back gently contacts the bench (ribs down).
– Start with legs together, knees softly bent (not locked), feet in line with hips.
– Initiate by lifting the legs toward vertical via hip flexion while maintaining abdominal tension and low-back contact.
– At the top, curl the pelvis toward the ribcage to lift the sacrum a small distance off the bench—avoid pressing with the arms or swinging.
– Breathe continuously; exhale during the pelvic curl, avoid breath-holding.
– Lower with control: first place the sacrum back to the bench by unrolling the spine, then lower the legs until just before the low back wants to arch.
– Keep movement smooth and within a range that maintains pelvic control; stop if you lose contact or feel the low back extend.
– Common form checks: no jerking, no flared ribs, no locked knees, and no excessive arching as the legs descend.
Decline Leg Hip Raise Tips
‘- Grip the top handles or bench edges to stabilize your upper body.
– Lightly draw the shoulder blades down and back, keeping the neck neutral and eyes up.
– Before moving, brace the abdominal wall and posteriorly tilt the pelvis so the low back gently contacts the bench with ribs down.
– Keep the legs together with knees softly bent (not locked) and feet in line with the hips.
– Lift the legs toward vertical by flexing at the hips while maintaining abdominal tension and low-back contact.
– At the top, curl the pelvis toward the ribcage just enough to lift the sacrum slightly off the bench.
– Avoid pressing with the arms or using swinging momentum to lift the legs or pelvis.
– Breathe continuously, exhaling during the pelvic curl and avoiding breath-holding.
– Lower under control: unroll the spine to place the sacrum back on the bench, then lower the legs only as far as you can without losing low-back contact, jerking, flaring the ribs, locking the knees, or excessively arching as the legs descend.
Decline Leg Hip Raise Beginner Introduction
The Decline Leg Hip Raise, a challenging bodyweight core movement, is done on a slanted bench, using gravity to intensify the load on the front of the torso. Lying with the head positioned higher than the hips, the lifter lifts the legs using the hip flexors while the abs guide the spine into a gentle curl. Instead of simply swinging the legs up and down, the emphasis centers on rolling the pelvis so the base of the spine lightly lifts from the bench, then gradually returns. The side abs lend support to keep the ribcage and pelvis working together, which helps limit unwanted arching through the lower back.
Because the bench is angled, the legs act as a longer lever, which boosts the challenge for the midsection and calls for smooth, controlled motion rather than momentum. Breathing stays coordinated with the hardest part of the movement, and the neck and upper body remain relatively quiet, allowing the abs and hip flexors to drive the action.