No offense to the traditional crunch, but this standard move can only get you so far in your quest for a strong core and the plentiful health benefits that come along with it. If you’re looking for a dynamic core workout that won’t only work different ab muscles but also help strengthen your hips and lower back—with no equipment and nary a crunch in sight—it’s worth adding the leg lift exercise into your routine.

Ahead, we’ll unpack the benefits of leg lifts, the muscles you’ll strengthen along the way, and how to do leg lifts safely and effectively.

What Are Leg Lifts?

“Leg lifts are an exercise used to strengthen the core and are beneficial to getting stronger in a variety of exercises,” says Peloton instructor Callie Gullickson. Traditional leg lifts, which are also known as leg raises, are performed in a supine position on the mat (i.e., lying face up). Using your core muscles, you slowly lift and lower your legs, engaging your trunk to resist gravity and remain stable.

There’s a decent chance you’ve seen or done them before, as different versions of leg lifts or leg raises are a classic move in mat Pilates as well many ab-focused classes.

Are Leg Lifts Right for Everyone?

Leg lifts can get pretty juicy (read: tough). Although they’re generally accessible to beginners, they’re often challenging for advanced practitioners, as well. Those new to exercising or those who lack core strength may wish to start with only a few reps at a time, or to modify the move to make it easier (more on how to do so, below).

While the risk of injury with this move is low, leg lifts may not be ideal for you if you:

Consult your physician and/or a certified fitness professional if you fall under any of these categories or if you have similar concerns.

What Muscles Do Leg Lifts Work?

“Leg lifts predominately target the muscles of the core, including the rectus abdominis as well as the internal and external obliques,” Callie explains. Though they’re known as an ab workout first and foremost, they also work the low back, hips flexors, and inner thighs.

A small 2018 study published in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science investigated the muscle engagement of eight bodyweight exercises, with leg lifts among them. The researchers found that leg lifts generated high activation of the rectus abdominis (the six-pack muscles on the front of your abdomen) and the rectus femoris (the only quad muscle that crosses the hip)—and at rates significantly higher than sit-ups.

Benefits of Leg Lifts

“This exercise is great for finding core stability,” Callie shares. The benefits of a strong, stable core can’t be understated and go far beyond surface-level perks. Your core (the group of muscles that wraps around your torso, including your abdominal, back, pelvic, and hip muscles) is key for balance and agility, breath control, injury prevention, athletic performance, and your ability to perform everyday movements like walking, stepping, and lifting.

Moreover, because they recruit the hip flexors (the muscles on the front of your hip that bring your thigh closer to your chest), leg lifts can help boost hip strength and flexibility. This benefit is especially relevant for office workers and other people who sit for long periods throughout the day, as doing so often leads to tight and weak hip muscles.

Leg lifts activate the lower back, too—and strengthening the lower back just might be one of the best things you can do for your body. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), low back pain is the number-one leading cause of disability across the globe, for people of all ages, affecting an estimated 619 million people in 2020. Increasing muscle strength and mobility in this area of the body—courtesy of leg lifts and similar core exercises—can help you reduce or avoid lower back pain (and the reduced quality of life associated with the condition). 

Last but not least, leg lifts are a bodyweight exercise. You don’t need any equipment to do them (though a mat, or at least a comfortable floor surface, is ideal). As such, they’re highly accessible whether you’re at home, at the gym, or on the road.

How to Do Leg Lifts Properly

Ready to start doing leg lifts? Callie breaks the exercise down with step-by-step instructions:

Beginners should aim for 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps as a good starting point. As you get stronger, you can tack on more reps or increase the difficulty by trying a variation of leg lifts (more on those below).

Common Mistakes People Make When Doing Leg Lifts

According to Callie, the most common mistake people make when doing leg lifts is compromising form at their backs. “Oftentimes people tend to not keep a neutral spine,” she says. “They arch their back and bring tension to their lower back, versus their core.” 

Not only will this take the emphasis off the target muscles, but it can also increase your risk of injury. To avoid making this mistake, be mindful to keep your lower back pressing into the mat throughout the movement. If you find it arching upwards, don’t lower your legs as much.

You should also avoid using momentum to “swing” your legs up and down. Instead, stick to a slow and steady pace to ensure you’re in control of the movement and feel the burn in your core.

Leg Lift Modifications

To Make Leg Lifts Easier

The first step to modifying leg lifts is to not lower your leg so close to the floor. Try lowering your legs only halfway, to a 45 degree angle from your starting position. “To make these even easier, find a bend at the knees and drop your heels instead,” Callie advises. 

Beginners, as well as those with mild lower back pain, can benefit from tucking their palms under the small of their back. This extra support helps prevent your lower back from arching off the floor, ensuring your abs are working. 

To Make Leg Lifts More Challenging

To increase the difficulty of leg lifts, you can lower your legs closer to the mat, hovering them ever so slightly above ground to fire up your core. To seriously feel the burn in your midsection, extend the time you hold your legs before raising them back up to the starting position.

“In order to progress this exercise, you can [also lift your head] and shoulder blades off the mat, or place your arms by your head so your biceps are by your ears,” Callie shares.

3 Exercises That Will Help You Build Strength to Perform Leg Lifts

If leg lifts feel altogether too difficult or you’d simply like to complement them with other core training) you can strategically incorporate other exercises into your routine to make leg lifts easier. Here are some of Callie’s favorites, which you’ll find in many beginner core strength classes on the Peloton App.  

Planks

The plank is a foundational full-body exercise that not only builds core strength and stability, but also does so in your shoulders, back, and legs. Challenge yourself by aiming to hold a plank for one minute every day, working your way up to this goal in 10- to 15-second intervals.

Dead Bugs

This highly effective supine core exercise entails moving your limbs on opposite sides of the body at the same time (e.g., your left arm and your right leg). The dead bug helps improve coordination and proprioception (how you perceive your body’s position and movements in space) in addition to building the base of core strength and stability that you’ll need to do leg lifts.

Heel Taps

Similar to leg lifts, heel taps drill core stability by asking you to keep your torso solid and lower back pressed into the floor while your legs move.

3 Leg Lift Variations to Try

Want more ab exercise options? These three leg lift variations use similar muscles but add a little more variety to your routine.

Flutter Kick

Flutter kicks—where you hold the bottom position of the leg lift and alternate kicking each foot up and down a few inches—is like a mix between a leg lift and a hollow hold. It’ll help work your abs and activate some of the fast-twitch muscle fibers in your hip flexors.

Single-Leg Leg Lift

Try doing leg lifts one leg at a time, alternating sides (as shown above), so you can build strength in each hip individually. While one leg is lowering, keep the other leg extended up toward the ceiling.

Double-Leg Stretch

In this Pilates core exercise, you curl into a ball, then extend your arms and legs to challenge your core. You’ll see this move in classic Pilates workouts, including many of those found on the Peloton App.