Seated Alternate Leg Raise
Sitting tall with your hands behind you for support, you lift one straight leg off the floor, lower it with control, and switch sides. It is a gentle introduction to hip-flexor and lower-abdominal work — ideal for beginners and for anyone easing back into core training after time away. 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 sets x 4-6 reps per leg with a 3-sec hold aloft | 90 sec |
| Muscle | 3 sets x 9-12 reps per leg | 60-90 sec |
| Endurance | 2-3 sets x 18-27 alternating reps | 30-45 sec |
Level — Beginner
Beginner — a supported, single-leg entry to leg-raise work; range and lean-back angle are the two difficulty dials.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Sit with legs extended, torso leaned slightly back, hands planted behind the hips.
- Grow tall through the crown of the head — no slumping into the shoulders.
- Lift one straight leg until the heel is 20 to 30 centimetres off the floor.
- Hold one second, lower the heel to a soft touch, and lift the other leg.
- Keep the resting leg long and active rather than collapsed.
Breathing: Exhale as the leg lifts, inhale as it lowers — unhurried and even.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program seated alternate leg raise
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength — beginner | 3 | 4 per leg with 2 s hold aloft | 1-2-1-0 | 90 s | 6-7 |
| Strength — standard | 4 | 4-6 per leg with 3 s hold aloft | 1-3-1-0 | 90 s | 8 |
| Strength — advanced | 4 | 6 per leg, 3 s hold, torso leaned back | 1-3-1-0 | 90 s | 8-9 |
| Hypertrophy — beginner | 2-3 | 8 per leg | 1-1-1-0 | 90 s | 7 |
| Hypertrophy — standard | 3 | 9-12 per leg | 1-1-1-0 | 60-90 s | 8 |
| Hypertrophy — advanced | 3 | 12 per leg with slow lowering | 1-1-3-0 | 60 s | 8-9 |
| Endurance — beginner | 2 | 14-16 alternating reps | smooth alternation | 45 s | 6 |
| Endurance — standard | 2-3 | 18-27 alternating reps | smooth alternation | 30-45 s | 7 |
| Endurance — advanced | 3 | 27 alternating reps, tall spine held | smooth alternation | 30 s | 8 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 1-2 | 2 | 5 per leg, hands planted behind hips | slow, tiny lift | 60 s | 4-5 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 3-4 | 3 | 6-8 per leg, lighter hand support | controlled lift | 60 s | 5-6 |
| Deload / technique | 2 | 6 per leg, small range | posture-first pace | 60 s | 4 |
Common questions
Is the seated alternate leg raise a good beginner core exercise?
Yes — it is one of the friendliest entry points there is. The seated lean and planted hands support the spine, only one leg loads at a time, and the range is easy to shrink on harder days. It builds the hip-flexor and lower-abdominal base that lying leg raises and scissors will demand later, without asking for that strength on day one.
Seated vs lying leg raises — which should I do first?
Seated first. Lying versions load both legs against a long lever and require the abs to pin the lower back down — a common early failure point. The seated single-leg version delivers a smaller, well-supported dose of the same pattern. Progress to lying raises when 12 controlled seated reps per leg with a one-second hold feel easy.
Why do I feel this in the front of my hips instead of my abs?
Because the hip flexors genuinely lead this movement — lifting a straight leg is their job, and the abs work mainly to hold your leaned-back trunk still. That split is normal and useful. To bias the abs harder, lean back a few degrees more and add the pause at the top; to keep it hip-flexor friendly, stay more upright.
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