This exercise spares the internal organs as much as possible, especially the pelvic organs, optimally in case of metabolic disorders. It is an exercise from the exercise therapy complex for gastritis and gastrointestinal diseases. The slope of the bench suggests that the load never leaves the legs, since even if the stomach allows you to raise your legs at a right angle, your legs will still be “at an acute angle” relative to the floor and gravity will continue to act on them. A very energetic exercise.

General description of the exercise

Lying on the bench on your back and holding your hands on the upper edge of the bench, the rung of the stairs or special stops (depending on the projectile used), press your lower back to the bench, bend your knees slightly (fix the bent knee) and, straining the press, raise them so so that the thigh is at a right angle to the surface of the bench. It is impossible to bend or unbend the legs during the exercise, otherwise it removes the load from the press and transfers it to the legs. Breathing is even, rhythmic, on effort (lifting the legs) hold the breath, exhale at the top point of the lift, on lowering the legs - inhale. The trajectory of the knee is towards the chest.

Since bodyweight work is used, the exercise will be very effective for thick people and less effective for thin people. Simultaneously with the press, the shoulder girdle is connected to the work (since the hands keep the body from sliding down the bench). There is also a beneficial effect of self-extension of the spine under the weight of one's own body.

This exercise is more convenient for overweight people.(especially if fat accumulates in the abdomen) than other exercises for the lower press, as it provides a greater amplitude of leg movement and increased workload without the risk of injury. With a very large and loose belly, which in the supine position flattens out and “hangs” from the sides and above the pubis, it is better to use a bandage.

There are modifications that include:

1. strongly bent(at a right angle) in the knees of the leg with the usual technique. This reduces leverage and stress on the abs, but is relevant for beginners and people with weak abs.
2. With slightly or strongly bent legs at the top point of raising the legs, instead of holding and lowering the legs on exhalation, perform twisting the pelvis up(without separation of the lower back) or full twisting (with separation of the lower back), such as "incomplete birch". This loads the middle and upper press, but almost completely removes the load from the lower one at the top point of the movement. Not recommended for fat people or beginners.
3. Possible use breathing patterns, at which lifting the legs is carried out on a long breath, the upper point is a delay in movement and a pause in breathing, lowering the legs down is a long exhalation, holding the legs at the lower point (without relieving tension from the press) while holding the breath. Then the cycle of movements is repeated. This gives not one continuous movement, but a series of movements, which is convenient for beginners who do not yet have very good muscle control.

Correct technique

1. Lie on a bench on your back, straighten and squeeze your legs (heels on weight). With arms bent at the elbows, grab the support behind the head - the edge of the bench, the rung of the stairs, the stops-holders.
2. Perform self-extension, stretching the spine with its own weight down. Tighten your back muscles, fixing the spine. During the exercise, the back (spine) should remain motionless.
3. Tighten the press, slightly bend your knees, lift them from the bench (you can lightly touch the bench with your heels, cross your ankles). This is the starting position. You can breathe freely in it (not forgetting to "keep" the corset muscles tense).
4. Take a breath and while holding your breath, raise your legs up with the effort of the lower press. The knee should move towards the chest, and not towards the head (that is, we obviously demand movement from the body without tearing off the lower back). At the same time, the pelvis is “twisted”, the pubic joint stretches towards the chest.
5. At the top of the lift (at the end of the movement, when the thigh is almost perpendicular to the surface of the bench), exhale and begin to lower the legs down.
6. Lowering your legs, take a breath. The legs do not fall completely, they always keep on weight, which additionally allows you to load the muscle.
   Repeat exercise.

For men:

For women:

When the pelvis is twisted at the end of the movement, the lower back should not come off the bench, otherwise, instead of the “finishing” maximum contraction of the lower segment, we will get its relaxation and the inclusion of the rested middle segment in the work.

Raising the lower back and twisting is possible only after performing a maximum twist of the pelvis, which will not allow the lower part of the press to relax when the middle and upper segments are included in the work. In this case, twisting should not go on holding the breath, but on exhalation in order to reduce intra-abdominal pressure.

Synergists: hip flexors, external obliques
Antagonists: extensors of the spine.
Stabilizers: deep abdominal muscles (transverse), oblique abdominal muscles, partially back muscles, shoulder girdle.

Perform 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions. Complicating the exercise is possible by increasing the hold time in the upper position, slowing down the pace, using weights for the legs, performing all repetitions in the approach as one continuous smooth movement.

Safety

The separation of the pelvis from the bench transfers the load to the middle press, the separation of the lower back - to the muscles of the lower back. With high pressure inside the abdominal cavity (due to holding the breath) and high load, this can injure the spine and intestines. An injury in the shoulder girdle is possible if the weight is large and the arms are weak.

A long breath-hold and a tense press during the exercise, a squeezed stomach can also injure the internal organs, so you should not try to immediately learn how to raise your knees to your chest.

Common Mistakes

• the full lowering of the legs on the bench at the end of each repetition relieves the load on the muscles of the lower press and the stabilizers of the back and legs, gives the muscle a rest, forces it to return to its original position;
• separation of the pelvis from the bench, when twisting is performed simultaneously with lifting the legs, transfers the load to the middle press;
• separation of the lower back transfers the load on the muscles of the back (lumbosacral, deep), increases intra-abdominal pressure;
• insufficient fixation of the legs in the knee joint (“hanging” of the shins) destabilizes the load on the press;
• involuntary flexion-extension of the legs, spreading the knees during the movement transfers the load on the muscles of the legs, swinging movements of the legs and pelvis (an attempt to lift the legs with a “jerk” with all muscles) - on the legs, back, upper press;
• bending the torso, "fidgeting" will lead to spinal injuries;
• lifting the legs with the movement of the knee to the head - includes a medium press;
• sudden movements and stops in motion - can destabilize loaded muscles and the spine;
• the inclusion of other muscle groups in the work (when the “whole body” is tensed, including the legs, arms, shoulders, pectoral and dentate muscles, oblique abdominal muscles, or the muscles of the back are relaxed). This increases the risk of injury to the spine, not protected by relaxed back muscles.

Equipment

Inclined bench (Swedish wall and board with hooks or Roman chair), abdominal bandage (if the muscles are very weak and stretched, there is a large fat pad on the abdomen), leg weights - if necessary.

Raising the legs while holding the breath and slightly twisting the pelvis enhances the effect. By varying the slope of the bench, you can change the load, not allowing the muscle to adapt, and make it grow faster.

The lower press should be “teared” no more than once a week, and given at least 3-4 days to recover - its abdomen is quite long, and unlike the short bellies of the middle press, it will not have time to recover in 2 days.

This muscle does not need to be specially stretched (it is usually overstretched anyway).

It may be rational to train the lower and middle press hard on different days, and the light one on the same day. It is advisable to train the lower press after a heavy workout on the legs, so that the quadriceps are guaranteed not to interfere.

For the press to be beautiful, some workouts are not enough. You need to constantly remember about your posture and adjust it throughout the day. Wearing an elastic, non-tight bandage during training will give a good effect, which will force the muscles to keep their tone and at the same time correct the intestinal pressure on the abdominal wall from the inside (a corset worn daily, on the contrary, will remove all the workload from the muscles, and they will begin to atrophy as unnecessary).

The exercise is ideal for beginners: it is quite easy and painless.

Leg raises lying on an inclined bench - the exercise is aimed at working out the abdominals.

In the initial stage of lifting the legs, the iliopsoas muscles and rectus femoris muscles as part of the quadriceps muscles begin to be included in the work, then when you begin to raise the pelvis and twist the torso, the rectus abdominis muscles are involved in the work

The position of the torso in an inclination additionally strains the muscles of the press, which begins to work as much as possible when the pelvis rises up, if the exercise is difficult, at first, to master the correct technique and initially strengthen the abdominal muscles, it is allowed to raise the knees to the chest.

Only lifting up slightly bent legs allows you to maximize the training of the abdominal muscles with the greatest efficiency and removes discomfort in the lower back.

For beginners, since the exercise is not easy, if it is difficult to perform, you should change the angle of inclination closer to horizontal.

Main working muscle group: rectus abdominis.

Auxiliary muscle group: lumbar muscles.

Leg raises lying on an incline bench - execution technique.

1. Take the starting position: Lie down on the bench, grasp its upper part with your hands. Bring your legs together and keep them parallel to the floor throughout the movement, knees slightly bent.

2. As you exhale, begin to lift your legs up as high as you can, as your legs move, your knees begin to bend and touch your chest at the end point of the movement.

3. In this position, pause a little, feel the contraction of the abdominal muscles and return to the starting position.

4. At the bottom point, still keep your legs parallel to the floor, this will allow you to properly work out and load the abdominal muscles.

5. If you work only by lifting your legs and not scrolling your pelvis up, then your muscles will work with less load, this option is more suitable for beginners.

6. In the lower range of motion, do not lower your legs completely, otherwise reduce the load on the muscles being trained!

Perhaps the best abdominal exercise is the incline leg raise. To perform the exercise, you will need an inclined bench, preferably with an adjustable inclination angle. An incline bench will not work! Or a bench with mounts and a Swedish wall - you can change the angle of inclination by hooking the bench higher or lower.

Benefits of exercise

• Can be done at home.
• Acceptable even if you have a bad back.
• You can change the degree of load by increasing or decreasing the angle of the bench.
• Ease of execution.
• Low chance of injury.

Incline Bench Leg Raise Variations

If your back hurts

1. We set the angle of the bench to 30 degrees.
2. Clinging with our hands to the handles on the head of the bench (there should be handles), we lie down on the bench with our feet down. We hold the body in this position with the effort of the hands.
3. I begin to raise my legs in turn to a right angle with the body. After one leg has returned to its original position, repeat the same for the second leg.
4. When you get stronger (after at least 2 weeks), you can lift two legs at the same time.
5. The pelvis is pressed against the surface of the bench! It is impossible to tear it off if the back is prone to pain!

Another easy version of the exercise is raising the legs, bent at the knees. Straighten your legs over time. The benchmark of safety is the absence of pain. As soon as there is discomfort in the lower back, bend your legs even more, or try alternate leg raises. Watch your pelvis - it should be "glued" to the bench.

If you are already strong enough or your back never hurts

1. Lie down on a bench and, holding the headboard with your hands, raise both legs to 90 degrees.
2. When your legs reach a 90-degree angle, you have two options - hold them in that position for 2-3 seconds, or move on. In the first option, after holding, we lower our legs and repeat the movement 10-15 times in three approaches.
3. In the second variation, you lift your pelvis off the bench and pull your knees toward your chest. If at the same time you feel a sharp pain in the lower back - limit yourself to the first option. After a few weeks of training, try the bench leg raise again with a pelvic lift.

If you are doing the exercise for the first time in your life

For beginners and those whose abs have not experienced such loads, we recommend following these instructions:

1. The angle of the bench is set to 30 degrees. If possible, put it down!
2. We bend our legs slightly at the knees, raise them 5-8 times. We focus on well-being. If you can lift more, do 10 times. The number of approaches is 2.

Such nuances must be observed so that you do not spend the next 2-3 days after training in the company of wild pains in the abdominal muscles. The load must be introduced gradually. Then the training will be more interesting, and after it it will be better to live.

Load increase

1. Maximize the angle of the bench.
2. Put on . Their weight is limited and, in case of lack of weight, we recommend using dumbbells. We do not tear off the pelvis from the bench.
3. You can use rubber bands instead of weights and dumbbells. Fasten them to the bench and legs. The load will be excellent and dynamic.

• Change the angle of the bench. If the exercise is easy, the angle can be increased. The larger the angle, the higher the load.
• If at a large angle you do not feel the load, hold a dumbbell between your feet. Pick up the weight so that the exercise is difficult, but possible with the right technique.
• One option for weighting is to keep your feet on the bench and start the next rep a few centimeters away from it.
• If you want relief, do the exercise with weights, and limit the number of repetitions to 10-12.
• To raise straight legs, you need to stretch before and after training!
• If you need endurance, do it without weight and as many times as you can.
• After the exercise, lie on your stomach and arch back, standing on your hands. Be sure to stretch your abdominal muscles after the exercise!

Attention: before using weights, do 10-15 repetitions without weight for warm-up!

Why do some tear off the pelvis from the bench, while others do not

Regular incline leg raises work the lower abdomen. The top half works, but not as intensely. To load it too, the athletes tear off the pelvis and stretch their knees to the chest or chin. Some raise their feet with their toes towards the ceiling, giving the press an extreme load.

This is an effective way to strengthen the press, pump up his muscles. If you have any problems with the spine, this version of the exercise can injure the lower back. The benchmark of safety is the absence of pain.

Press exercises are done at the end of each workout. But not all, and not always. In bodybuilding, incline crunches are a necessary part of the plan for the beginner to intermediate athlete. Those who have a fairly hypertrophied press usually only “pump up” it with simpler exercises. In other strength disciplines, twisting on an incline bench is also used. Strength officers do it to compensate for the deflection in the spine that occurs during squats. Athletes of other directions - just to pump up the press. This popular movement has quite a few subtleties. After all, most athletes do not perform it correctly, but solely due to the quadriceps and jerks with the body. But it is worth learning how to twist correctly, and you will feel the difference.

Starting position

• Secure your knees to the rolls of the crunch bench;
• Press the buttocks to the surface of the bench;
• Pull up your belly;
• Put your hands behind your head;
• Lean back to horizontal

Traffic

• As you exhale, contract your abdominal muscles;
• Bring the lower ribs to the pelvic bones;
• Pull in your stomach even more;
• At the peak point of the contraction, hold for a moment and then repeat again.

Attention

• Technically, some people do a full lift rather than a crunch. They lie down on a bench and, due to the inertia and strength of the quadriceps, lift the body completely. It is not advisable to perform this movement in this way, because the press will no longer work in a similar technique;
• It is not necessary to bend the lower back inward to increase the amplitude. This overloads the back and can lead to protrusions;
• Avoid pressing the palms on the back of the head. With too much pressure, a displacement of the cervical vertebrae is possible;
• The bench should be adjusted so that the shins do not “depart” much from the pillows of the simulator when lowering the body down.

• The twist is done by rounding the back, not by "bringing" the shoulders to the knees with strong hip flexion. Round your spine and roll your shoulders forward;
• Try to observe the principle of "exhale - on effort." The peak contraction at the top point should be performed already when there is almost no air in the lungs;
• Work smoothly, eliminate jerks, so that the efforts to lift the case become more metered, and the insulation works

Implementation options

• In a Roman chair. This machine is designed to protect the athlete's back. It is only important that it fits the athlete in height. It is necessary to ensure that the pelvis does not come off during twisting. The lifter can bend back a little deeper than with a normal twist;
• Diagonal or cross crunches. In this version of the exercise, we stretch the opposite shoulder to the hip or knee. This option should work out the oblique muscles more. But it does not give significant hypertrophy, so those who want to have a thin waist can also do it;
• Twisting from a lying position on a bench. This option resembles the classic twisting while lying on the floor. Full lifting of the body is not required here. The goal of the athlete is to bring the lower ribs to the pelvic bones. It is necessary to draw in the stomach, and gradually bring the ribs to the pelvis, and then lower to the starting position;
• Twisting with weights. They help not only to form muscles, but also to work out the press in power mode. The press with weights is also pumped in order to get “pronounced cubes”, muscle hypertrophy.

Anatomy of exercise - what muscles work

Target working muscle and accessory muscles:

• rectus abdominis
• Quadriceps, obliques, tensor fascia lata, iliopsoas

The benefits of the exercise:

• Suitable for beginners;
• Allows you to progress and increase the load;
• Not traumatic;
• Has many modifications and options

Flaws

Those who go to an inexpensive gym will have to suffer for quite some time if their lower legs are slightly larger than the average person. It is not convenient to train in an inclined bench and for those who have large hamstrings. Such people cannot always adjust a cheap little shop for themselves. More professional equipment takes into account the anthropometric features of professional athletes. The second drawback is the inability to adequately perform the movement at home. Universal benches for the home are being sold, but it’s just convenient for them to only pump the press, and not to perform other exercises too.

Preparing for execution

It is necessary to set the slope of the bench to about 30 degrees, and adjust the height of the fixing rollers so that the legs are comfortable and the pelvis remains on the bench when lifting. It is necessary to work out the rise to the bench, develop a starting position.

If the projectile sways from side to side, it is worth strengthening it by placing pancakes on both sides of the legs.

The press is usually pumped at the end of a workout, and a warm-up is not needed before it. If a person has problems with mobility in the hip joints, he should perform circular rotations of the pelvis, abducting the hips to the side, and bending forward in sufficient volume to warm up.

• The twisting of the spine itself begins at about two-thirds of the amplitude, at the top. The rise is carried out due to the strength of the abdominal muscles, and not due to inertia, “acceleration” of the body with the legs, or contraction of the quadriceps;
• Hands can not put pressure on the back of the head. They should either hold the head slightly at the temples, or be extended along the body. Stretching your arms forward is not recommended, as this contributes to the development of the wrong habit - stretching your chest and neck forward, and not twisting to your hips;
• The loin should be kept as flat as possible, not rounded too much;
• The head should not be thrown back or the chin stretched forward;
• Shoulders can be rounded forward, it is not necessary to rise with a flat back;
• In the upper part of the amplitude, the spine makes approximately a right angle with the femur

Mistakes

• Throwing the body back;
• Too small an angle between the hip and the spine;
• breath holding;
• Jerks with hands forward;
• Hand pressure on the back of the head

• You can increase the load by increasing the angle of the bench back. Beginners can start with an almost flat bench, gradually increasing the angle;
• Additional weights in the case of this exercise are a pancake from a barbell or a medicine ball;
• Static hold at the top point is allowed;
• Strengthens the load and the super-slow method, that is, twisting for 10 counts and the same slow lowering;
• The closer the hands are to the head, the more active the press is turned on. But if you grab your hips with your hands, nothing will work

Inclusion in the program

The training program is an individual thing. Many people combine several ab exercises in one workout, such as hanging leg raises or lying leg raises. Others believe that there is not much point in 2-3 exercises for the press. In fact, straight crunches tone the abdominal muscles, and can help with 6-pack if the person has little body fat. But for those who have problems with posture, and a pronounced lordosis, leg raises should also be done.

If a person performs a lot of barbell tilts and hyperextensions, it makes sense for him to do not twisting on an incline bench, but leg raises. This will help to avoid hypertonicity of the iliac muscle, and pain.

In strength disciplines, direct twisting on a bench can be combined with twisting while standing, that is, an exercise similar to a “prayer” but performed while standing. Strength athletes should remember that 3-4 approaches with a weight that can be twisted for 5-6 times is enough. Cubes, burning and other stories about “beautiful abs” should be left to fitness models. To squat and bench a lot, you need a strong abs, not a thin waist.

For those who want to lose weight, doing too many abdominal exercises is also not recommended. 2-3 working sets to failure at the end of a workout is the minimum required, and it is also the maximum. If you overtrain the press, it will not become embossed and beautiful faster. Some bodybuilders do 3-4 working sets of 20 reps, but this is already a level above the beginner.

Contraindications

This exercise is not recommended for any injuries of the hip joints and femoral neck. Back and lower back problems should also be addressed before the client discovers the incline bench. Even simple discomfort in the lower back means that it is better to switch to a fitball, or lying down twist;

Hypertensive patients should not make the angle of the bench too high. A significant angle of inclination contributes to a rush of blood to the head, and can lead to pressure drops;

The bench with a high lift is not recommended for those who have myopia and a tendency to retinal detachment. Such a person should not actively perform exercises in which the head is lower than the chest. Moreover, one should not “strain” when pumping up the press. It is better to do hanging leg raises with such a disease;

Exercise can be quite unsafe for spinal hernias. If there is no deterioration dynamics, the choice of exercises should be discussed with the doctor.

Alternatives

Similar in action is a simple twisting on a lying bench, and exercises on the floor. Some people manage to do a straight crunch on a hyperextension machine, but it's not comfortable enough.

This exercise can also be replaced with twisting in the simulator for sitting abs. If you concentrate on the movement, the effect will be about the same as from a simple twist.

It is important to work out the press in training, but for its relief it is also important to organize a balanced diet, not overeat, and burn excess fat.