Leg raises

Muscles worked

You need

How to do it

1. Suspend your body on a pair of parallel bars with your back against the device’s supporting pad and feet on the platform (if there is one).
2. Bend your arms and place your forearms flat against the horizontal pads with your hands grasping the handles for extra support.
3. Bring your shoulders back and down by engaging your upper back.
4. Remove your feet from the platform if the particular device has one.
5. Brace your midsection, keep your upper body tense, and have your lower back against the back pad.
6. Take a breath and raise your legs in one fluid motion by engaging your abs. Your knees should be almost entirely straight. You can cross your feet or keep them apart––whichever feels more natural.
7. Pause at the top as you squeeze your abs, then slowly lower your legs to the bottom.
8. Exhale near the bottom and resist the urge to arch your lower back as you complete the repetition.