Lying leg raises are done on your back with both legs straight. You lift them together until they point at the ceiling, then lower slowly and stop before your lower back starts to arch. The muscles at the front of the hip (hip flexors) do the lifting. Your stomach muscles hold the pelvis and lower back steady.

How to do the leg raises

Lie on your back with your legs straight and together and your arms resting on the floor by your sides, palms down.
Gently tighten your stomach so your lower back rests on the floor.
Keeping your knees straight, lift both legs together until they point up at the ceiling.
Lower your legs slowly. Stop at the lowest point where your lower back still stays on the floor. The video goes down to just above the floor, but many people need to stop higher at first.
Pause for a moment, then lift your legs back up and repeat.

What you should feel

The front of your hips and your stomach working. If your lower back aches, you are lowering too far.

Common mistakes

Lowering the legs so far that the lower back arches off the floor.
Letting the legs drop quickly instead of lowering them with control.
Swinging the legs up with momentum.
Pushing hard into the floor with your arms, or holding your breath.

How often

A typical start is 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 12, a few days a week, with a short range at first. Your physio will set the range and the numbers.

Stop and check with your physio if

Lower back pain that builds during the set, or pain that spreads down a leg.
A bulge or pressure in your stomach or groin.

From the clinic

This is harder than it looks. Two straight legs make a long, heavy lever for your stomach to control. If your back arches early, bend your knees to about 90 degrees and lower your feet toward the floor instead, or work one leg at a time with the straight leg raise. The dead bug builds the same back control first.

Some versions finish each rep by lifting the buttocks slightly off the floor at the top. The video does not, and neither do the steps here. Leave that for later, once the basic lift and lower feels easy.

A hernia, a gap in the stomach muscles after pregnancy (diastasis recti), or recent stomach, back or hip surgery are all reasons to check with your physio before starting. The same goes for exercising flat on your back after the first trimester of pregnancy.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-25.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Leg raises