Intermediate

Plank with Leg Raise

Taking a leg off the ground removes half your base and threatens to tip the hips, so the obliques and deep core fire to keep the pelvis square while the lifted glute holds the leg up. It layers a hip-extension strength element onto a stability drill, which makes it a favorite finisher for building a plank that carries over to running and single-leg work. Keep the lift low and the torso motionless.

Equipment
Body Weight
Body part
Abs
Type
Functional, Strength
Browse by movement
Core Brace
Muscles worked
Target
Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals, Abdominal External Oblique
Secondary
Gluteus Maximus, Erector Spinae
Tertiary
Deltoid Anterior, Rectus Femoris

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set up in a forearm or high plank with a strong brace.

  2. 2

    Squeeze your glutes and flatten your low back.

  3. 3

    Lift one leg a few inches off the floor without arching your back.

  4. 4

    Hold briefly while keeping both hips level and pointed at the floor.

  5. 5

    Lower the leg with control and reset your brace.

  6. 6

    Repeat on the other side for the prescribed reps or time.

Tips

  • Lift from the glute, not by hinging the low back to swing the leg up.
  • Keep both hip bones facing the floor; a rising hip means the leg went too high.
  • Pause at the top rather than kicking the leg for momentum.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Shifting your weight onto the opposite forearm as the leg comes up, so the ribcage rotates and the plank turns into a lean.
  • Bending the lifted knee and kicking the foot up, which brings the hip flexors in and lets the low back arch to make room.
  • Letting the hips pike toward the ceiling so the lift feels easier, which shortens the lever and removes the reason for doing it.
  • Turning the lifted foot out to the side, which rolls the hip open and puts the leg where the glute cannot control it.
  • Alternating sides quickly, so no leg is ever off the floor long enough for the trunk to have to hold anything.
  • Holding your breath through the lift; breathe out slowly while the leg is up and the brace stays where it is.

Frequently asked

How long should I hold the plank with leg raise, and how many reps?
Work in reps rather than one long hold: three sets of 5 to 8 lifts per side, each held two to three seconds, or 30 to 40 seconds of slow alternating lifts. A clean 45-second forearm plank is the entry ticket; if the plain plank sags, the leg lift will only sag faster. Lengthen the hold at the top before adding reps, then move to a high plank, where there is less base to work with.
How can I make the plank with leg raise easier or harder?
Easier: drop to the knees and slide the foot along the floor instead of lifting it, or shorten the hold to a single second. Harder: hold the top for five seconds, put a band around the ankles, elevate the feet, or add a slow opposite-arm reach so only two points of contact remain. Raising the leg higher is not the way to progress; past a few inches the extra height comes from the low back, not the glute.
What does the plank with leg raise train?
It is anti-rotation work with a glute component: taking a leg away threatens to tip the pelvis, and the obliques and deep trunk muscles stop that while the lifted glute holds the leg. That carries over to running, single-leg lifting and carrying a load on one side. It is not an ab-building exercise in the size sense, and it is the wrong pick if a basic plank already breaks down at 20 seconds; build that first.

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