To do leg raises on the floor, lie on your back, keep your legs straight (or slightly bent at the knees if needed), and lift them upwards towards the ceiling, engaging your core muscles.
Here's a breakdown of how to perform leg raises effectively:
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Starting Position: Lie flat on your back on the floor. You can place your hands by your sides, palms down, or underneath your buttocks for added lower back support.
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Engage Your Core: Before you lift your legs, consciously engage your abdominal muscles. This helps stabilize your spine and prevents lower back strain.
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Lifting Your Legs: Keeping your legs straight (or with a slight bend), slowly lift them towards the ceiling. Aim to raise them until your hips slightly lift off the floor, or as far as comfortable while maintaining good form.
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Controlled Descent: Slowly lower your legs back down towards the floor, maintaining control and keeping your core engaged. Avoid letting your legs drop suddenly. Stop just before your heels touch the floor to maintain tension on your abdominal muscles, making the exercise more effective.
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Repetitions: Perform 10-15 repetitions, or as many as you can with good form.
Tips for proper form and variations:
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Lower Back Support: If you experience lower back pain, try bending your knees slightly. You can also place your hands under your glutes for extra support.
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Breathing: Inhale as you lower your legs, and exhale as you lift them.
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Progression: Once you can comfortably perform leg raises, you can increase the difficulty by holding your legs at the top of the movement for a second or two, or by adding ankle weights. Another variation is to keep your feet elevated slightly off the ground throughout the exercise (as referenced in the provided text), making it more challenging to keep the tension on the core.
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Avoid Arching Your Back: Throughout the exercise, focus on keeping your lower back pressed against the floor (or as close as possible) to prevent injury.
