In and Out to Leg Raises
This floor combo alternates seated in-and-outs — knees pulling to the chest, legs shooting back out — with straight-leg raises, so the abs switch between knee-drive and long-lever work inside one set. It suits home trainees who want more variety than plain leg raises without losing direct hip-flexion volume. 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 | 4 × 3–6 (each movement) | 2–3 min |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 9–12 (each movement) | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 3 × 18–27 (each movement) | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner-friendly, provided the lower back stays quiet through the raise portion.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Sit on the mat, lean the torso back slightly, and take light fingertip support beside the hips.
- Pull both knees to the chest, then shoot the legs out straight without letting the heels touch down.
- After your in-and-out count, lie back and switch to raises — legs straight up toward vertical.
- Lower the legs only as far as the lower back can stay pressed toward the floor.
- Reset the brace at every transition; the switch between moves is part of the exercise, not a break.
Breathing: Exhale as the legs extend or lower — that is where the brace is tested most.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program in and out to leg raises
| Goal | Phase | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| strength | weeks 1–4 · build | 4 | 3–4 each movement | slow · 3 s legs down | 2–3 min | 7 |
| strength | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 4 | 4–5 each movement | slow · 3 s legs down | 2–3 min | 8 |
| strength | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 5–6 each movement | slow · 3 s legs down | 2–3 min | 8–9 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 9–10 each movement | controlled · 2 s lower | 60–90 s | 7 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3–4 | 10–12 each movement | controlled · 2 s lower | 60–90 s | 8 |
| hypertrophy | weeks 9–12 · peak | 4 | 12 each movement | controlled · 2 s lower | 60–90 s | 8–9 |
| endurance | weeks 1–4 · build | 3 | 18–20 each movement | smooth · continuous | 45–60 s | 6 |
| endurance | weeks 5–8 · intensify | 3 | 20–24 each movement | smooth · continuous | 45–60 s | 7 |
| endurance | weeks 9–12 · peak | 3 | 24–27 each movement | smooth · continuous | 45–60 s | 7–8 |
| beginner | weeks 1–4 · learn | 2 | 6 each movement | controlled · hands behind hips | 60–90 s | 5 |
| beginner | weeks 5–8 · groove | 3 | 8 each movement | controlled · hands behind hips | 60–90 s | 6 |
| beginner | weeks 9–12 · load | 3 | 9–10 each movement | controlled · fingertip support | 60–90 s | 6–7 |
Tempo = descriptive — flow/combination movements do not use 4-digit tempo.
Common questions
Is this combo suitable for beginners?
Yes — both halves self-scale. Keep the in-and-outs small and the leg raises high, with knees slightly bent, and it stays manageable. The one prerequisite is being able to hold the lower back close to the mat; if it lifts on every rep, train bent-knee raises alone first.
Why combine in-and-outs with leg raises instead of doing them separately?
The combination alternates a short-lever knee drive with a long-lever raise, which lets you accumulate more total ab work before fatigue forces sloppy reps of either one. It also keeps home circuits time-efficient — one floor position, two stimuli, no equipment change.
How many reps should I do?
Start with 6–8 of each movement per round for three rounds, resting about a minute between rounds. Progress by adding a rep per week or by slowing the lowering phase, not by racing through more reps at the cost of back position.
Why do I feel this combo in my hip flexors more than my abs?
Both halves of the combo involve lifting the legs, and the muscles that flex the hip — the iliopsoas — always share that job with the abs. The abs' real work is stopping your pelvis from tipping and your lower back from arching. If the hip flexors dominate, your back is probably lifting off the floor as the legs lower. Reduce the leg-raise depth, press the lower back down hard, and exhale as the legs drop. The feeling shifts within a session or two.
Can I do in-and-outs to leg raises every day as a finisher?
You can, but you should not do it hard every day. Abdominal muscle tissue needs roughly forty-eight hours to recover from a genuinely challenging session, so three quality finishers a week will out-train seven rushed ones. If you like daily core work, alternate this combo with low-strain options such as dead bugs or side planks, and keep one or two days completely off. Watch your rep quality: when the first set drops noticeably week to week, you are under-recovering.
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