Exercise
AB DRAW LEG SLIDE
Form cues
About
The Ab Draw Leg Slide is a foundational core stability drill that trains abdominal hollowing — drawing the navel toward the spine — while simultaneously sliding one heel along the floor. It is a low-load exercise used in rehabilitation and early strength training to build the motor control needed for spinal stability before progressing to higher-demand core movements. The key skill it develops is maintaining neutral spine under distal load.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Starting Position
Lie on your back on the floor or mat with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet flat on the floor.
Arm Placement
Place your arms at your sides with palms facing down, applying slight pressure into the floor.
Activate Core
Take a deep breath and draw your navel toward your spine to activate the transverse abdominis.
Slide the Leg
While maintaining this abdominal contraction, slowly slide one leg forward, extending it toward the floor.
Keep Back Flat
Keep your lower back pressed gently into the mat — do not allow it to arch.
Alternate Sides
Return the leg to the bent position and repeat on the other side, alternating for the desired reps.
Common mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Letting the lower back arch
As the leg extends, the hip flexors pull the lumbar spine into extension. If the core cannot resist this, the lower back lifts from the floor — the exact failure pattern the exercise is designed to prevent.
Press the lower back firmly into the floor before and throughout the slide. Reduce the range of extension if the arch cannot be controlled.
Holding the breath
Breath-holding creates a false stability through intra-abdominal pressure rather than deep muscular activation, defeating the purpose of the drill.
Breathe continuously. Exhale gently as the leg extends; the core should hold neutral without relying on a Valsalva maneuver.
Moving too fast
Speed removes the neuromuscular challenge. The exercise is effective only when the core must actively resist the limb movement throughout the range.
Use a 4-count slide out, 4-count slide back. Think of it as a deliberate test of stability, not a repetition of movement.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Abdominal Hollowing (Static)
Lie supine and practice drawing the navel in without any leg movement. Establishes the activation pattern before adding the limb challenge.
Dead Bug
The same anti-extension principle applied with arms overhead and legs raised — significantly greater stability demand than the heel slide.
Straight Leg Lowering
From a supine position with both legs raised vertically, slowly lower both legs together toward the floor while maintaining a neutral lumbar spine. Greater moment arm demands stronger core engagement.