Alternate Leg Raise (Advanced)
The advanced alternate leg raise is done lying flat with both legs straight — one leg lowers to a hover just off the floor while the other rises, and they trade places without either ever resting. It is a lower-ab and hip-flexor test built on one non-negotiable: the lower back stays pressed down throughout. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–4 × 3–6 per leg (5 s lowering) | 90 s |
| Muscle | 3 × 9–12 per leg | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 2 × 18–27 per leg | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Advanced
Advanced — graduate here only after the modified version is clean for 15 reps per leg.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Press your lower back into the floor before the first rep and keep it welded there.
- Both legs stay straight with knees locked and toes pointed for the whole set.
- Lower the descending leg over a slow 3 seconds — the lowering is the exercise.
- Stop the bottom leg at a hover, 5–10 cm off the floor, never resting it down.
- Keep your ribs pulled down and your head relaxed on the floor.
Breathing: Exhale slowly as the leg lowers, inhale as it rises — the exhale helps keep the back flat.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program alternate leg raise (advanced)
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 6 per leg | 5-0-2-0 | 90 s | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 4 per leg | 5-0-2-0 | 90 s | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 3 per leg | 5-0-2-0 | 90 s | 9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 12 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 10 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 9 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 8–9 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 2 | 18 per leg | 2-0-2-0 | 45–60 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 2 | 22 per leg | 2-0-2-0 | 45–60 s | 7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 2 | 27 per leg | 2-0-2-0 | 45–60 s | 7–8 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 8 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 3 | 10 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 6 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 10 per leg | 3-0-2-0 | 60–90 s | 6–7 |
Tempo = eccentric-pause-concentric-pause, seconds (X = explosive intent).
Common questions
Why do I feel leg raises in my lower back?
As the legs lower, their weight pulls the pelvis into a forward tilt; if the abs cannot resist it, the lumbar spine arches and complains. The fix is range, not toughness: lower only as far as your back stays flat on the floor, and slide your hands under your hips temporarily if you need the extra help.
What makes this version 'advanced'?
Two things: both legs stay straight, which lengthens the lever your abs must control, and neither foot ever touches down, so there is zero rest inside the set. The modified version bends one knee and lets the resting foot stay planted — a genuinely useful stepping stone, not a cop-out.
How many alternate leg raises should I do?
Aim for 8–12 slow reps per leg with a flat back, for 2–3 sets. The set is over the moment your lower back pops up or the lowering speeds up — those reps no longer train what you came for. Progress by slowing the descent before you add reps.
Should I press my hands into the floor during alternate leg raises?
Early on, yes — palms pressed lightly under or beside your hips give the pelvis a stable anchor and help you keep the lower back heavy against the floor. As control improves, reduce the assist by turning the palms up or sliding the hands out wider, which hands more work to the deep core. Treat hand pressure as an adjustable dial rather than cheating. The priority is a still pelvis and a back that never arches, whatever your hands are doing.
Can I add ankle weights to alternate leg raises?
Only after the bodyweight version is genuinely owned — full sets with a five-second lower, no back arch, no momentum. Then start with the smallest weights available, half a kilo to one kilo per ankle, and expect your reps to drop noticeably. Ankle weights multiply the lever demand at the exact point most people already struggle, so progress slowly and drop the load the moment your lower back starts lifting. A slower tempo is an equally effective and safer progression.
Related exercises
Easier: Alternate Leg Raises (Modified) · Harder: Alternate Leg Raise (Advanced 2)
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