What muscles does Incline Straight Leg Raise work?

Primary: Iliopsoas. Secondary: Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Pectineus, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae. Stabilizers: Brachialis, External Obliques, Latissimus Dorsi, Pectoralis Major (Sternal), Posterior Deltoid, Rectus Abdominis, Teres Major, Triceps (Long Head).

What equipment do I need for Incline Straight Leg Raise?

Incline Straight Leg Raise is a bodyweight exercise that requires no equipment.

How do I perform Incline Straight Leg Raise?

Preparation: Sit on incline board. Lie supine on incline board with torso elevated. Grasp feet rollers or sides of board for support. Execution: With knees straight, raise legs by flexing hips until hips are completely flexed. Return until hips and knees are extended. Repeat. Comments: Rectus Abdominis and Obliques onlycontract dynamicallyif actual waist flexion occurs. With no waist flexion, Rectus Abdominis and External Oblique will only act to stabilize pelvis and waist during hip flexion. It may be necessary to completely flex hips before waist flexion is possible, as in leg-hip raise. Attempting to perform Incline Straight Leg-Hip Raise at a low incline would not load waist and hip flexors after they travel beyond vertical so that sort of movement would need to be performed on steep incline or vertical position, requiring much greater strength. Also seeSpot Reduction MythandLower Ab Myth.

Incline Straight Leg Raise

The Incline Straight Leg Raise primarily works the Iliopsoas, with secondary activation of the Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Pectineus, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae and stabilizer support from the Brachialis, External Obliques, Latissimus Dorsi, Pectoralis Major (Sternal), Posterior Deltoid, Rectus Abdominis, Teres Major, Triceps (Long Head). It is a bodyweight isolation exercise at intermediate difficulty.

A bodyweight isolation pull exercise targeting the Iliopsoas.

Equipment	Bodyweight
Difficulty	Intermediate
Type	Isolation
Movement	Flexion
Force	Pull
Laterality	Bilateral
Primary	Iliopsoas
Secondary	Adductor Brevis, Adductor Longus, Pectineus, Rectus Femoris, Sartorius, Tensor Fasciae Latae

Muscles Worked

Front

Back

Primary Secondary Stabilizer

Instructions

Preparation: Sit on incline board. Lie supine on incline board with torso elevated. Grasp feet rollers or sides of board for support. Execution: With knees straight, raise legs by flexing hips until hips are completely flexed. Return until hips and knees are extended. Repeat. Comments: Rectus Abdominis and Obliques onlycontract dynamicallyif actual waist flexion occurs. With no waist flexion, Rectus Abdominis and External Oblique will only act to stabilize pelvis and waist during hip flexion. It may be necessary to completely flex hips before waist flexion is possible, as in leg-hip raise. Attempting to perform Incline Straight Leg-Hip Raise at a low incline would not load waist and hip flexors after they travel beyond vertical so that sort of movement would need to be performed on steep incline or vertical position, requiring much greater strength. Also seeSpot Reduction MythandLower Ab Myth.

Incline Straight Leg Raise

Muscles Worked

Primary Muscles

Secondary Muscles

Stabilizer Muscles

Instructions

Alternative Exercises

Cable Lying Leg Raise (on bench)

Cable Lying Straight Leg Raise

Cable Standing Leg Raise

Hanging Straight Leg Raise

Incline Leg Raise

Lever Hip Flexion

Lever Vertical Leg Raise

Lying Leg Raise (on bench)

Lying Leg Raise (on floor)

Lying Straight Leg Raise