Incline Leg Hip Raise (Leg Straight)

Setup

1. 01Set a bench to a 30 to 45 degree incline.
2. 02Lie back with your head at the top and grip the bench behind your head.
3. 03Lock the knees and point the legs down the slope.
4. 04Press the lower back toward the pad and set a light brace.

Execution

1. 01Raise the straight legs until they point at the ceiling.
2. 02Curl the pelvis up, lifting the hips off the pad so the feet drive higher.
3. 03Pause with the hips lifted and the lower abs fully shortened.
4. 04Lower the hips back to the pad, then the legs down the slope under control.

Checkpoints

• -Knees stay locked through both the raise and the hip lift.
• -The hips clearly leave the pad at the top of every rep.
• -The legs stop short of resting at the bottom to keep tension.
• -The grip anchors the torso; the arms do not yank the body up.

Common mistakes

• -Swinging the legs up and using the bounce to lift the hips.
• -Arching the lower back off the pad at the bottom of the range.
• -Skipping the hip lift and only raising the legs.
• -Bending the knees to shorten the lever when tired.