How to do the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise is a beginner single-joint isolation pushing exercise targeting the Abs in the Waist region. Performed using bodyweight, it falls under the strength category. Secondary muscles engaged include Hip Flexors.
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise demonstration · © GymiaFit
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise at a glance
- Primary muscles
- Abs
- Secondary muscles
- Hip Flexors
- Equipment
- Body Weight
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation (single-joint)
- Force
- Push
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise step by step
- 1Sit on the captain's chair with your back against the backrest and your forearms resting on the arm pads.
- 2Keep your upper body stable and your back straight.
- 3Engage your abs and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
- 4Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or as high as you can comfortably go.
- 5Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- 6Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise — questions
What muscles does the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise work?
The Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise primarily targets the Abs. It also recruits the Hip Flexors as secondary movers.
What equipment do I need for the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise?
None — the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise uses your bodyweight only, so it works at home with nothing but floor space.
Is the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise suitable for beginners?
Yes. It is classed as a beginner movement: the pattern is simple enough to learn in a session and easy to scale by adjusting range of motion or load.
What can I do instead of the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise?
3/4 Sit-up, 45° Side Bend, Air Bike train the same muscles and make good substitutes when the equipment is taken or the movement does not suit you.
Log it, don't guess it.
The GymiaFit app has the Captains Chair Straight Leg Raise demo, form cues and set logging built in — plus a muscle map that shows what you have actually trained this week. Free on iOS and Android.