Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
Reviewed by Tim Renting, Physiotherapist
Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raises challenge your core by adding external resistance, increasing tension on the lower abs while improving control and stability.
Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
Muscles Worked: Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
The Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise mainly works your abs because they have to brace hard while your legs lift and lower. Your hip flexors help raise your legs, but your abs do the important job of stopping your lower back from tipping and taking over. Holding a medicine ball adds load, so your midsection has to stay tighter through the whole rep. If you do it well, you should feel your abs working more than your hips, which fits what we know about strength training building the trained muscles over time.
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Technique and form
How to perform the Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
- Lie flat on your back on a mat with legs extended and arms resting at your sides, palms facing down for stability.
- Place a medicine ball between your feet, squeezing it firmly with your ankles and inner thighs to maintain a secure grip throughout the exercise.
- Engage your core by drawing your navel toward your spine and slightly tucking your pelvis to ensure your lower back stays in contact with the floor.
- Inhale and slowly raise your legs with the medicine ball until they form approximately a 90-degree angle with your torso, keeping your legs as straight as possible.
- Pause briefly at the top position while maintaining core engagement and ensuring your lower back remains pressed into the mat.
- Exhale as you lower your legs in a controlled manner, resisting the urge to let gravity take over by engaging your abdominal muscles throughout the descent.
- Stop just before your heels touch the ground, maintaining tension in your core and avoiding any arching in your lower back.
- Immediately begin your next repetition without resting at the bottom, breathing rhythmically and keeping your upper body relaxed but stable.
Important information
- If you feel strain in your lower back, bend your knees slightly or reduce the weight of the medicine ball until your core strength improves.
- Keep your head and shoulders flat against the mat throughout the exercise to avoid neck strain.
- Focus on using your abdominals to control the movement rather than momentum or hip flexors.
- For beginners, start with a lightweight medicine ball (2-4 lbs) and progress to heavier weights as your core strength develops.
Is the Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise good for muscle growth?
Yes. The Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise can help build stronger, thicker abs because it adds resistance to a basic leg raise and keeps tension on your midsection through both the lift and the lowering phase. Resistance training is a proven way to improve muscle size and strength when you apply it consistently and progress it over time.
- Added load makes the abs work harder — A regular Lying Leg Raise can get too easy fast. Adding a medicine ball increases the challenge, so your abs have to brace harder to keep your lower back from arching as your legs move.
- The lowering phase matters — The hardest part for most people is lowering the legs without losing position. That slow lowering keeps tension on the abs longer, which is useful for muscle growth when the set is hard enough.
- Exercise-specific progress counts — Muscles adapt to the movement you train, not just the body part in general. Research on exercise-specific growth shows the exact exercise you choose affects where and how you improve, which is a good reason to keep this move in if your goal is stronger lower abs and better trunk control.
- Easy to progress without heavy spinal loading — You can make this harder by using a heavier ball, slowing the lowering, or pausing near the bottom. That gives you a clear path for progressive overload without needing a big compound lift like a hanging leg raise.
Programming for muscle growth
Do 3-4 sets of 10-20 reps with 45-75 seconds rest, 2-3 times per week. Use a load that makes the last 3-5 reps tough while you still keep your lower back flat to the floor. If your hips give out before your abs, shorten the range a little and slow the lowering until your abs stay in control.
Alternative Exercises
FAQ - Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
The exercise primarily targets the lower rectus abdominis and hip flexors, while also engaging the entire core musculature including the transverse abdominis. Your obliques and lower back muscles also work as stabilizers throughout the movement.
Beginners should start with lighter weights and perform the movements separately before combining them. Advanced lifters can increase the weight, add a pause at the top of the press, or perform the exercise from a standing position to increase core engagement and overall difficulty.
The most common mistakes are pulling on your head with your hands, rounding your back to bring your elbow down, and rushing through the reps. Another mistake is swinging your arms instead of rotating from your core. Keep your chest up, bring your knee up to your elbow, and move with control on both sides.
Incorporate this exercise 2-3 times weekly with at least 24 hours between sessions to allow your core muscles to recover. Start with 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions, adjusting based on your fitness level and goals.
When you perform it with good form, this exercise strengthens the core muscles that support your spine. That can help with some types of back pain. If you have existing back problems, talk to a healthcare professional before you start. Always choose good form over more reps.
Reviewed by
Physiotherapist
Highlights Physiotherapist at GrabGains: Brings specialized clinical expertise to verify exercise content and ensure safe, effective movement guidance across the platform. Licensed Physiotherapist: Registered in the Dutch BIG Register (BIG: 59930315504) as a…
Medicine Ball Lying Leg Raise
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