Lying Leg Raise
Lying Leg Raise Exercise Description
The lying leg raise (hamstring stretch) improves flexibility in the posterior hip by lengthening the hamstrings as the hip moves into flexion with the knee extended. Performed on your back, one leg is lifted while the pelvis stays level and the spine remains neutral. This position targets the hamstrings of the raised leg and may also create a gentle stretch sensation through the gluteal area. Keeping the movement slow and controlled helps you feel the end range without compensations from the low back. It’s a simple, equipment‑free way to work on hip flexion range while reinforcing good lumbopelvic control.
- Muscle Groups: Hamstrings
- Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Assisting Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Stabilizing Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Multifidus, Quadratus Lumborum, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Unilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Stretching
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors, Knee Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Inner Hamstring, Outer Hamstring
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Lying Leg Raise Exercise
‘- Lie on your back with your head and ribcage relaxed, arms at your sides.
– Keep one leg on the floor; bend that knee if needed to keep your low back neutral.
– Lightly brace your abdominal wall so your pelvis stays level (no arching or tucking).
– Straighten the working leg (knee extended but not locked), toes toward the ceiling.
– Place both hands behind the thigh or calf of the working leg—avoid pulling on the foot.
– Exhale and raise the working leg by flexing at the hip until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of the thigh.
– Keep your sacrum and opposite leg heavy on the floor; avoid rotating the hip or rounding the lower back.
– Hold the position without bouncing, breathing steadily.
– Lower the leg with control to the start position.
– Switch sides and repeat, maintaining the same alignment cues.
Lying Leg Raise Tips
‘- Keep your head and ribcage relaxed on the floor to avoid tension in your upper body.
– Bend the non-working leg if needed to help keep your low back in a neutral position.
– Lightly brace your abdominal wall so your pelvis stays level without arching or tucking.
– Straighten the working leg with the knee extended but not locked, and point your toes toward the ceiling.
– Place your hands behind your thigh or calf and avoid pulling on your foot.
– Raise the working leg by flexing at the hip until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of your thigh.
– Keep your sacrum and opposite leg heavy on the floor to prevent hip rotation or low back rounding.
– Hold the stretch without bouncing and breathe steadily throughout.
– Lower the leg slowly and with control, then switch sides while maintaining the same alignment.
Lying Leg Raise Beginner Introduction
The lying leg raise (hamstring stretch) is a floor-based flexibility exercise centered on the back of the thigh and hip. It is done in a relaxed, reclined position, with one leg moving upward while the other remains down, so attention can stay on how the lifted leg feels. As the leg travels higher with a straightened knee, the tissue along the back of the thigh is lengthened, and some people may also notice a mild pull around the back of the hip or buttock.
Because the trunk stays quiet and the hips remain steady, this stretch also highlights control through the midsection. The slow, steady motion into and out of the stretch makes it easier to sense where natural limits are, rather than relying on momentum. No equipment is needed, and the simple setup suits home routines, cool-downs, or dedicated mobility sessions where opening the back of the legs and supporting healthy hip motion is the main goal.