Captain's Chair Leg Raise

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Step onto the platform and press your forearms firmly into the pads.
2. 2Grip the handles and lift your shoulders away from your ears.
3. 3Press your lower back against the backrest and let your legs hang straight down.
4. 4Exhale and raise your straight legs until they are roughly parallel to the floor.
5. 5Pause briefly at the top without letting your torso drift back.
6. 6Inhale and lower your legs with control, stopping before they swing behind you.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Swinging the legs to generate momentum, which is far more tempting with straight legs.
• Letting the legs drop and swing behind the body on the descent.
• Allowing the shoulders to shrug up toward the ears.
• Arching the lower back away from the support pad as the legs rise.
• Bending the knees mid-rep to cheat the top range.

TIPS

• Keep a slight bend in the knees if straight legs cause the lower back to round.
• Think about curling the pelvis up toward the ribs rather than just lifting the thighs.
• Move at a pace you could stop at any point; if you cannot pause mid-rep, the legs are too heavy for the lever.
• Keep the ribs down and the backrest contact constant from start to finish.

SAFETY

• Stop the set if you feel the lower back arching or pinching against the pad.
• Avoid letting the legs swing back hard into the backrest.
• Anyone with hip-flexor or lower-back issues should build up from the knee raise first.

DETAILS

Muscles

Abdominals

Equipment

Captain's Chair

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Reps only