Abs & core
Single Leg Lowers
Lying on your back, you lower one straight leg at a time toward the floor and bring it back up. It works your lower abs and is easier on your back than lowering both legs.
- Works
- Core, hip flexors
- Equipment
- A mat
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back on a mat with your arms by your sides and both legs straight up toward the ceiling.
- 2Press your lower back into the floor and brace your abs.
- 3Slowly lower one straight leg toward the floor, only as far as your back stays flat.
- 4Bring it back up to meet the other leg, then lower the other leg. Keep alternating.
Cues
- Lower back stays pressed into the floor.
- Go only as low as your back stays flat.
- Slow on the way down.
Common mistakes
- Lower back arching. Don't lower as far. Stop where your back starts to lift off the floor.
- Dropping the leg fast. Take 2 or 3 seconds to lower. The slow part is where your abs work.
- Top leg drifting down. Keep the top leg pointing at the ceiling so only one leg moves at a time.
Easier
Bend the moving knee a little, or lower only halfway. Tucking your hands under your hips helps too.
Harder
Take 3 seconds to lower and pause just above the floor, or lift your head and shoulders off the mat.
Try it: 3 rounds of 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off.
What's the difference between single leg lowers and leg raises?
A leg raise lowers both legs at once, which is a long lever for your abs to hold and can pull your lower back off the floor. Single leg lowers move one leg at a time, so it's easier to keep your back flat. Start here and build up.
