Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit upright on the edge of a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Clean the barbell to your shoulders and press it directly overhead with a shoulder-width grip.
3. Lock your elbows and stack the bar directly over your shoulders and hips to find your center of gravity.
4. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine, ensuring your ribcage is tucked and not flared.

How to do it

1. While keeping the barbell perfectly still overhead, exhale and lift one knee toward your chest as high as possible without leaning your torso back.
2. Inhale as you slowly lower the foot back to the starting position with a controlled 2-second tempo.
3. Immediately repeat the movement on the opposite leg, alternating sides while maintaining a rigid upper body.
4. Continue the alternating pattern, focusing on keeping the barbell level and stationary throughout the set.

Form checklist

• Keep the barbell completely level; do not let it tilt or sway as you switch legs.
• Avoid leaning backward to compensate for the leg lift; stay perfectly vertical.
• Keep your elbows locked and shoulders 'packed' down away from your ears.
• Ensure your lower back does not arch as you lift your leg.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'pulling' the barbell apart with your hands to increase shoulder stability and upper back engagement.
• Imagine your torso is encased in concrete; only the hip joint should move during the leg raise to maximize oblique activation.
• Pause for one second at the peak of each leg raise to emphasize the contraction in the lower abdominals.

Make it harder

• Perform the exercise with straight legs instead of bent knees to increase the lever arm and difficulty for the quads and abs.
• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase of the leg to 4 seconds to further challenge core stability.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell sitted alternate leg raise work?

The barbell sitted alternate leg raise primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and obliques, and also works the hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell sitted alternate leg raise?

The barbell sitted alternate leg raise uses barbell and weight plate.

Is the barbell sitted alternate leg raise good for beginners?

The barbell sitted alternate leg raise is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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