Leg raises in a support position

To make the task more challenging, try to almost fully extend your legs without bending your knees. If you also tilt your pelvis upward, the rectus abdominis will work harder.

Nuances and mistakes

1. Do not lift completely straightened legs. This will disengage the abs, primarily activating the iliopsoas muscle instead.

2. Your legs should be slightly bent, and at the end of the movement, you need to tilt your pelvis upward. It is at this point that the abs become actively engaged.

3. In general, the more bent your legs are, the easier the exercise becomes. You can simply pull your knees to your chest while remembering to tilt your pelvis.

4. Sometimes, some beginners (especially those with excess weight) may find it difficult to do this exercise because they slide down; their shoulder girdle cannot support the weight of their own body. In that case, focus on other ab exercises for now and return to this one in a couple of months when you have gained strength.

5. As a form of added resistance, you can squeeze a dumbbell between your feet or place a weight plate on your feet. This way, the exercise will not only become more challenging, but you will also have to perform it more slowly to prevent the plate or dumbbell from falling.

6. You can also avoid lowering your legs all the way down to keep your abs under constant tension.