If you’re uninterested in making an attempt to crunch your technique to a strong core or shredded midsection, there’s one other foundational ab train that needs to be in your routine: leg lifts.
Lifting your legs off the bottom from a supine place targets the decrease abs and provides you one other software to realize that six-pack.
Here’s the right way to carry out the train and its variations.
Leg Lift: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Lie in your again together with your legs straight, neck raised (or relaxed on the ground), and arms at your sides or underneath your butt for again assist.
- Engage your core and press your again into the ground. Keeping your legs straight and collectively, slowly increase them till they’re perpendicular to the bottom.
- Pause, then slowly decrease your legs till they’re about an inch or two above the ground, retaining them straight and your core engaged.
How to Make Leg Lifts Easier
Lift and decrease one leg at a time, or bend your knees as you increase your legs.
In this variation, you’ll find yourself together with your decrease legs parallel to the bottom and your knees over your hips.
You may place your arms out straight at your sides on the ground (so your physique varieties a “T” form) for extra assist.
How to Make Leg Lifts Harder
Perform the leg lifts in a captain’s chair (what some name a leg carry machine) or whereas hanging from a bar, lifting your legs till they’re parallel to the bottom.
“The hanging aspect of the leg lifts adds grip strength, thus increasing the difficulty of the move,” explains Alexa Cohen, private coach at Crunch Union Square in New York City.
Leg Lift Variations
These variations of the leg carry add an additional problem or change your angle of assault to emphasise totally different muscular tissues.
1. Stability ball leg carry
In addition to including some additional weight, this presents the problem of compacting the ball together with your leg muscular tissues, making certain you don’t drop it.
2. Side leg carry
- Lie in your left facet together with your ft and hips stacked, your legs straight, and your head resting in your left arm. This is the beginning place.
- Keeping your core engaged, slowly carry your proper leg as excessive as you may with out rotating your hips.
- Pause, after which decrease your proper leg again to the beginning place.
- Complete your entire reps, change sides, and repeat.
3. Alternating leg carry (scissors)
- Lie in your again, draw your knees in towards your chest, and wrap your arms round your legs.
- Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the bottom. Place your fingers behind your neck and lengthen your legs in order that they’re perpendicular to the ground. Point your toes.
- Keeping your head and shoulders lifted, decrease your proper leg 45 levels.
- Quickly change your legs in order that your proper leg is perpendicular to the ground and your left leg is lowered 45 levels.
- Continue to change your legs in your desired variety of reps.
Leg Lift Benefits
“Leg lifts build a strong core and hip flexors, while simultaneously increasing balance and stability,” Cohen explains.
The train targets the rectus abdominis — the “six-pack muscle” — and in addition works the hip flexors and obliques. “The abdominal muscles are used isometrically to stabilize the body during the motion,” Cohen says.
But it’s not simply leg lifts for abs.
Your core can be your again. Since leg lifts enhance core power, Cohen provides, in addition they enhance assist in your again, which can decrease the chance of again accidents.
