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Laying Alternate Leg Raise

The lying alternate leg raise lifts one straight leg at a time while the other hovers or rests, halving the lever load of a double raise and letting the abs learn the pattern one side at a time. It is the sensible middle step between bent-knee work and full double-leg raises. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.

Muscles worked

Abs · rectus abdominis Hip flexors · iliopsoas Obliques Deep core · transverse abdominis

Sets & reps by goal

GoalSets × RepsRest
Strength4 × 4–6 per leg (slow eccentrics)90 s – 2 min
Muscle3–4 × 9–12 per leg60–90 s
Endurance3 × 15–20 per leg45–60 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Beginner

Beginner-to-intermediate bridge — master back contact here before attempting double-leg raises.

Proper form — 5 cues

  1. Lie flat, hands beside the hips or tucked just under the tailbone.
  2. Press the lower back gently toward the floor and keep that pressure all set.
  3. Raise one straight leg toward vertical while the other stays long and low.
  4. Lower the raised leg with a slow count until the heel hovers just off the mat.
  5. Alternate legs like a slow scissor — smooth exchanges, no thudding heels.

Breathing: Exhale as each leg lowers — the demanding half — and inhale as it rises.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Lower back popping up as the leg descends. The descending leg's lever tips the pelvis forward and the spine arches to compensate. Fix: Shorten the descent — lower only to where back pressure survives — and rebuild depth gradually.
Resting the waiting leg completely on the floor. The abs unload halfway through every rep cycle, cutting the set's tension in half. Fix: Keep the waiting heel hovering an inch up unless you are deliberately regressing.
Bending the moving leg's knee to make the lift easier. The shortened lever quietly downgrades the exercise back to a bent-knee raise. Fix: Lock a soft-straight knee and accept fewer honest reps.

Common questions

Alternate leg raises vs double leg raises — how big is the difference?

Substantial. Raising one leg roughly halves the resistance the hip flexors and abs must control, and the grounded or hovering leg helps anchor the pelvis. That is exactly why alternating raises are the right bridge: they teach the back-position discipline that double raises will later demand at full price.

Where should I feel this exercise?

Mostly in the lower portion of the abdominal wall and the hip flexors, with the deep trunk muscles working to pin the lower back down. Feeling it only in the front of the hips usually means the back is arching — reduce the range and re-anchor the spine first.

Hands under the hips — cheating or fine?

Fine, and often smart. Tucking the hands under the tailbone tilts the pelvis slightly and shrinks the arch-risk gap under the lower back, letting you train the pattern safely. As control improves, move the hands beside the hips to make the trunk do the anchoring unaided.

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