Exercise guide
Leg Lift To Chest Front Plank
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
This dynamic plank variation combines core stability with hip mobility and posterior chain activation, targeting the abs and obliques while engaging the glutes and shoulders. It challenges balance and coordination by transitioning from a stable plank to a moving unilateral support.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and glutes to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Maintain a neutral neck by looking at the floor slightly ahead of your hands.
How to do it
- Exhale as you lift one leg toward the ceiling, squeezing the glute and hamstring at the top while keeping your hips square to the floor.
- Inhale and pull that same knee toward your chest, tucking your pelvis and rounding the upper back slightly to maximize abdominal contraction.
- Exhale as you extend the leg back and return the foot to the starting position.
- Repeat the sequence on the opposite side, maintaining a controlled 2-1-2 tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips level; do not let them rotate or sag during the leg lift.
- Push actively through your palms to keep your shoulder blades protracted and stable.
- Avoid arching your lower back when lifting the leg behind you.
- Drive the knee as close to the chest as possible to fully engage the obliques and rectus abdominis.
Pro tips
- Focus on the 'crunch' at the peak of the knee-to-chest phase by pulling your belly button toward your spine.
- Maintain constant tension in the standing leg's glute to stabilize the pelvis throughout the movement.
Make it harder
- Perform the knee-to-chest movement toward the opposite elbow to increase oblique demand.
- Add a 2-second pause at both the peak of the leg lift and the peak of the knee tuck.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the leg lift to chest front plank work?
- The leg lift to chest front plank primarily targets the abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques, and also works the adductors, erector spinae, and quadriceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the leg lift to chest front plank?
- The leg lift to chest front plank requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the leg lift to chest front plank good for beginners?
- The leg lift to chest front plank is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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