Captains Chair Leg Raise

Muscles Captains Chair Leg Raise Works

Main muscleLie on your back and curl your ribs toward your pelvis. The main muscle driving this movement is your rectus abdominis. Your abs contract to curl your upper body slightly off the floor.

Supporting musclesYour transverse abdominis helps keep your lower back from arching, and your obliques keep your torso from twisting side to side.

How it should feelAs you curl up, the front of your abs should shorten and tighten. The goal is not to sit up high, but to get a strong abdominal squeeze.

Signs you're offIf you pull on your head or your neck gets tired first, you are lifting with your neck instead of your abs. If your lower back lifts, your core tension is dropping.

Remember thisRelax your neck and think about folding your ribs toward your pelvis.

Muscles used

• Rectus abdoministhe front abs, commonly called the six-pack
• Hip flexorsmuscles at the front of the hip that help lift the thigh
• Transverse abdominisdeep core muscle that wraps around the waist like a belt
• Obliquesside abs running from the ribs toward the pelvis

Setting Up for Captains Chair Leg Raise

Setup orderCheck if both armrest pads are stable → Check if the backrest touches your back

• arm pads

  Set it like thisCheck that the pads that allow you to raise both elbows and forearms do not wobble.

  How to checkWhen you raise your arms, both arm pads should be at the same height and should not wobble.

• Backrest

  Set it like thisCheck if the backrest is positioned so that it touches your back directly.

  How to checkWhen you step onto the armrests, your back should touch the backrest, and your body should not sway back and forth.

Watch out forAvoid starting with armrests wobbling or the backrest being too far from the body, causing the body to sway back and forth.

Stance for Captains Chair Leg Raise

Foot widthPlace your elbows on the pads and your back against the backrest.

Where your weight goesSupport your body with the elbow pads and backrest.

Upper body positionPosition yourself so your elbows rest comfortably on the pads.

Why it mattersIf your elbows are not stable, your body may swing as you lift your legs.

How to Grip for Captains Chair Leg Raise

Grip typeHold the captain's chair handles with both hands.

Grip widthHold the same position on both handles, so one hand is not farther forward or back than the other.

How hard to gripPlace the handles in the middle of your palms and wrap your thumbs around them.

The Key Point for Captains Chair Leg Raise

Stand firm so your body doesn't shake, and slowly raise your knees toward your chest.

Think of it like thisThe feeling of lifting the knees with the lower abdomen

Before the fixThe body sways back and forth, or the legs are lifted using momentum.

After the fixI feel tension in my lower abdomen, and my torso stabilizes.