10 Best Twisted Leg Raise Alternatives for Lower-Back-Friendly Core
If Twisted Leg Raise causes discomfort or you lack a progression, use exercises that target the lower rectus abdominis and obliques while limiting hip-flexor dominance. Try dead bugs with rotation, hanging knee raises with twist, windshield wipers, reverse crunches, or plank rotations. Cue: press your low back to the floor and move with slow, controlled eccentrics.
Original Exercise: Twisted Leg Raise
How to Perform Twisted Leg Raise
- Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
- Place your hands under your glutes for support.
- Engage your abs and lift both legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
- As you lift your legs, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards your opposite shoulder.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement, this time twisting your hips to the other side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Twisted Leg Raise Alternatives
1. Elbow-to-knee
99.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by lying 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 upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
- At the same time, bring your left knee towards your right elbow, creating a twisting motion.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and extend your legs back to the starting position.
2. Alternate Heel Touchers
90.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the ground.
- Engaging your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand towards your right heel.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand towards your left heel.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
3. Dead Bug
85.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling.
- Bend your knees and lift your legs off the ground, creating a 90-degree angle at your hips and knees.
- Engage your core and lower back to press your lower back into the ground.
- Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground, keeping them straight and hovering just above the floor.
- Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
4. Band Bicycle Crunch
83.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent.
- Lift your feet off the ground and bring your right knee towards your chest while simultaneously twisting your torso to bring your left elbow towards your right knee.
- Straighten your right leg while bringing your left knee towards your chest and twisting your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Continue alternating the twisting motion, as if you are pedaling a bicycle, while keeping your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Cross Body Crunch
83.7% 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.
- Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground and twist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
6. 3/4 Sit-up
83.2% 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.
7. Crab Twist Toe Touch
81.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet, and lift your hips off the ground.
- Extend one leg straight out in front of you while simultaneously reaching your opposite hand towards your toes.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Bent Knee Lying Twist (male)
80.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms out to the sides, perpendicular to your body.
- Keeping your knees together, slowly lower them to one side, aiming to touch the ground with your knees.
- Pause for a moment, then engage your core and slowly lift your knees back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement to the other side.
9. Cocoons
80.1% 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.
10. Assisted Motion Russian Twist
78.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold the medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest.
- Lean back slightly, engaging your abs and keeping your back straight.
- Slowly twist your torso to the right, bringing the medicine ball towards the right side of your body.
- Pause for a moment, then twist your torso to the left, bringing the medicine ball towards the left side of your body.
Why You Might Need a Twisted Leg Raise Alternative
You may substitute the Twisted Leg Raise for several reasons: lumbar irritation from hip-flexor pull, limited spinal rotation, lack of a pull-up bar, or simply need progression. Twisted leg raises load the lower rectus abdominis and obliques while recruiting hip flexors, so alternatives can reduce lumbar shear and shift emphasis to anti-rotation or isolated lower-ab tension. For example, dead bugs minimize lumbar extension by keeping the pelvis neutral and maintain rectus activation. When you choose a substitute, focus on exercises that preserve posterior pelvic tilt, avoid rapid hip flexion, and emphasize slow eccentric control to keep obliques and lower abs working effectively.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Select a substitute by matching movement pattern, spinal load, and equipment availability. If you want the same twisting torque, pick rotational moves like windshield wipers or standing Russian twists with anti-rotation bracing; cue: keep the ribcage down and rotate from the waist. If you need lower-back-friendly options, choose dead bugs or reverse crunches that maintain posterior pelvic tilt and limit hip-flexor recruitment. Also consider progression: start with isometric anti-rotation holds, then add controlled dynamic reps or added resistance. Prioritize exercises that allow you to feel oblique engagement and maintain a neutral spine throughout the set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Twisted Leg Raise work?
Twisted Leg Raise primarily targets the lower rectus abdominis and the obliques through hip flexion combined with rotational torque; it secondarily recruits the iliopsoas. Biomechanically, the movement combines hip flexion and pelvic rotation to increase oblique moment-arm. Cue: posteriorly tilt the pelvis and lift with the lower abs rather than pulling with the hips.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Twisted Leg Raise?
Dead Bug with slow rotation is the best bodyweight alternative if you need low spinal load and precise abdominal isolation. Press your low back into the mat, extend opposite arm and leg slowly while rotating the pelvis slightly to feel oblique engagement. That pattern preserves neutral spine and reduces hip-flexor dominance.
Can I build muscle without doing Twisted Leg Raise?
Yes—you can hypertrophy the abs and obliques using progressive overload via added resistance, tempo manipulation, and higher time-under-tension. Use weighted decline leg raises, cable woodchoppers, or loaded anti-rotation holds and emphasize slow eccentrics; cue: control the descent and maintain tight bracing to maximize abdominal activation.
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