Home · Exercise Library · Core · Leg Circles (Advanced)

Leg Circles (Advanced)

The advanced leg circle raises the stakes: both legs, or one leg circling while the other hovers low, with larger diameters and no floor contact anywhere. It suits trainees with a proven hollow-body brace who want rotational core control loaded near its ceiling. 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

Goal	Sets × Reps	Rest
Strength	3–4 × 3–4 circles each direction (maximal size)	90 s – 2 min
Muscle	3 × 5–8 circles each direction	60–90 s
Endurance	2–3 × 8–10 circles each direction	60 s

Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.

Level — Advanced

Advanced — the lower back's floor contact is the referee; when it lifts, the set is over.

Proper form — 5 cues

Set the lower back's floor contact first — it is the gauge that runs the whole drill.
Hover the non-working leg low or circle both legs together, heels never touching down.
Trace large, deliberate circles at a three-to-four-second pace per revolution.
Re-level the hip bones at the top of every circle before starting the next.
End the set the moment the back lifts or the circles turn oval — those are the exit signs.

Breathing: Slow, disciplined breaths behind the brace — one inhale-exhale cycle per circle.

The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most

Back arching at the circle's lowest arc. The long double-leg lever at its lowest point is the exact spot the brace fails first. Fix: Flatten the circle's bottom — make it wider than it is deep until the brace strengthens.

Speeding up to survive the burn. Fast circles convert control work into swinging, defeating the progression entirely. Fix: Keep the metronome pace; shorten the set instead of shortening the seconds.

Neck straining with the head lifted. An unsupported lifted head through long sets shifts focus and strain upward. Fix: Rest the head down, or support it lightly with one hand if lifted positioning is intended.

Common questions

When am I ready for the advanced version?

A fair benchmark: ten slow single-leg circles per direction with the other heel hovering — not resting — and zero pelvic rocking, plus a 30-second hollow hold. If either is missing, the standard version still has work to give you. Progressing early just rehearses an arched back.

Double-leg circles vs single with hover — which should I pick?

They stress different things: double-leg circles multiply the lever load and hit the brace hardest, while single-leg-with-hover keeps an asymmetry that challenges rotational control more. Alternate them across sessions rather than choosing one; each covers the other's weakness.

Is this exercise worth it compared to hanging leg raises?

They are complements, not rivals. Hanging raises load pure hip flexion and grip heavily; advanced circles train the trunk's ability to stay rigid while force changes direction continuously — something almost no straight-line movement provides. A complete core program benefits from both patterns.

Related exercises

Easier: Leg Circles

Alternate Leg Raise (Advanced)Abs · Hip flexors Alternate Leg Raise (Advanced 2)Abs · Hip flexors Flutter Kicks (Advanced)Abs · Hip flexors Leg Raises (Advanced)Abs · Hip flexors Scissor (Advanced)Abs · Hip flexors

Browse: All core exercises · All hips & inner thighs exercises · All bodyweight exercises · Full exercise library

This is one exercise. Your plan is the other 99%.

Maddy hand-builds training around your exact body — schedule, recovery, injuries, food culture. It starts with a 3-minute scan.

Start My Body Scan → 11 questions · 3 min · free · no card yet