Exercise
WEIGHTED VERTICAL LEG RAISE
Form cues
About
A hanging or captain's chair leg raise with ankle weights, challenging the hip flexors and lower abdominals through full vertical range with progressive loading.
Instructions
Step-by-step technique
Secure the weight correctly
Attach the ankle weights firmly to your ankles or place a dumbbell securely between your feet, ensuring it is balanced and will not slip. Double-check the attachment to avoid any potential for the weight to drop during the dynamic phase of the movement.
check weight securityAssume the starting position
Step into the captain's chair apparatus and place your forearms flat on the padded armrests, gripping the handles firmly. Allow your body to hang vertically with your spine neutral against the back pad and your legs fully extended toward the floor.
shoulders down, engage coreInitiate the vertical lift
Exhale sharply while driving your legs upward by flexing your hips, keeping your knees straight if your hamstring flexibility allows. Focus on curling your pelvis upward toward your ribcage to maximize the activation of your lower abdominal wall throughout the lift.
curl the pelvisReach full hip flexion
Continue lifting your legs until they are parallel to the ground or slightly higher, ensuring your hips have fully flexed. Maintain a steady, upright posture against the back pad to prevent excessive swinging or momentum from taking over the exercise.
avoid swinging legsLower with complete control
Inhale as you slowly descend your legs back to the starting position, maintaining tension in your abdominals the entire time. Resist the urge to let gravity drop the weights quickly, as the eccentric portion is vital for building core strength and stability.
slow and controlledCommon mistakes
What goes wrong — and why
Swinging the body
Swinging forward makes the raise easier and stresses the shoulder joints.
Control the descent fully and pause before each rep to eliminate swing.
Bending the knees
Knee flexion shortens the lever and reduces core challenge.
Keep the legs as straight as possible throughout.
Partial range of motion
Not raising the feet above hip height limits hip flexor engagement.
Raise the legs to 90 degrees or higher on each rep.
Variations · Progressions · Regressions
Adaptations for every level
Hanging Knee Raise
Draw the knees to the chest instead of full leg extension to reduce difficulty.
Vertical Leg Raise (on parallel bars)
Use parallel bar supports for reduced grip demand.
Hanging Weighted Straight Leg Raise to Bar Touch
Raise the legs until the feet touch the bar for maximum core and hip flexor range.