10 Best Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise Alternatives for Any Setup
What can you do instead of Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise? Use hanging leg raises, reverse crunches, captain's chair raises, flutter kicks, or decline knee tucks. Choose by equipment and spine comfort; brace your core, maintain a posterior pelvic tilt, and lift through the lower rectus abdominis rather than driving movement with the hip flexors.
Original Exercise: Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
How to Perform Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise
- Lie with your back flat on a bench and your legs extended in front of you off the end.
- Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench. This will be your starting position.
- As you keep your legs extended, straight as possible with your knees slightly bent but locked raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
- Now, as you inhale, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
Pro Tips
- Category: Strength
- Force: Pull
- Movement type: Isolation
Best Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise Alternatives
1. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up (male)
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is upright.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Exercise Ball Crunch
91.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position).
- Lower your torso into a stretch position keeping the neck stationary at all times. This will be your starting position.
- With the hips stationary, flex the waist by contracting the abdominals and curl the shoulders and trunk upward until you feel a nice contraction on your abdominals. The arms should simply slide up the side of your legs if you have them at the side or just stay on top of your chest if you have them crossed. The lower back should always stay in contact with the ball. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- As you inhale, go back to the starting position.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
3. Bent-Knee Hip Raise
91% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lay flat on the floor with your arms next to your sides.
- Now bend your knees at around a 75 degree angle and lift your feet off the floor by around 2 inches.
- Using your lower abs, bring your knees in towards you as you maintain the 75 degree angle bend in your legs. Continue this movement until you raise your hips off of the floor by rolling your pelvis backward. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the end of the movement your knees will be over your chest.
- Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement for a second and then return to the starting position slowly as you breathe in. Tip: Maintain a controlled motion at all times.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
4. Decline Reverse Crunch
90.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on your back on a decline bench and hold on to the top of the bench with both hands. Don't let your body slip down from this position.
- Hold your legs parallel to the floor using your abs to hold them there while keeping your knees and feet together. Tip: Your legs should be fully extended with a slight bend on the knee. This will be your starting position.
- While exhaling, move your legs towards the torso as you roll your pelvis backwards and you raise your hips off the bench. At the end of this movement your knees will be touching your chest.
- Hold the contraction for a second and move your legs back to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
5. Butt-ups
90.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands by your sides, palms facing down.
- Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
- At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
- Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
6. Crunch (hands Overhead)
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms straight above your head.
- Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Crunch Floor
89.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engage your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Decline Crunch
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body towards your knees, curling your torso.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
9. Decline Sit-up
88.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent.
- Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward towards your knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Cocoons
88.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise Alternative
You may need substitutes because of lower-back pain, lack of a bench, hip-flexor dominance, or the need for progression and variety. Some lifters feel lumbar strain during bench leg raises; swapping to a reverse crunch or captain's chair reduces lumbar shear by emphasizing posterior pelvic tilt. If you lack a pull-up bar, use decline knee tucks or flutter kicks to keep tension on the lower abs. For hypertrophy, increase time under tension with a 3–4 second eccentric and a controlled posterior pelvic tilt to maximize rectus abdominis activation while minimizing hip flexor takeover.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute based on spine loading, required equipment, and the muscle activation you want. If lumbar tolerance is low, pick reverse crunches and focus on posterior pelvic tilt to bias the lower rectus abdominis. If you have a pull-up bar and want more ROM, choose hanging leg raises and avoid swinging by initiating the lift with the pelvis. For progressive overload, use ankle weights or slow eccentrics; for oblique emphasis, perform single-leg hanging or side-to-side knee tucks. Cue: brace your core, exhale on the concentric, and control the descent to protect the lower back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise work?
The exercise primarily targets the rectus abdominis—especially the lower portion—while the iliopsoas (hip flexors) assists and the obliques stabilize. Cue a posterior pelvic tilt to shift force into the abs and reduce hip flexor dominance.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise?
Hanging leg raises are the best bodyweight alternative when you have a bar; they increase ROM and load the lower rectus abdominis. Initiate the movement with a pelvic tilt, avoid kipping, and control the lowering phase to prevent hip flexor takeover.
Can I build muscle without doing Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise?
Yes. You can develop the abs with reverse crunches, hanging variations, weighted cable crunches, and progressive tempo work. Use posterior pelvic tilt cues, add resistance or slow eccentrics, and increase volume to drive hypertrophy without that specific exercise.
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