vertical bench leg raises

Vertical bench leg raise is a demanding core exercise, primarily working the muscles of your lower abs, hip flexors, and deeper core stabilizers. To perform the exercise, grab a vertical bench or dip bar and hang from it with your arms straight. Keeping your legs straight and together, initiate the movement by lifting your legs straight up towards the ceiling until they are perpendicular to the floor. Exhale as you lift your legs and focus on squeezing your lower abs at the top of the movement. Hold this position briefly, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position, inhaling as you do. This exercise can be made more challenging by adding ankle weights, holding a dumbbell between your feet, or slowing down the tempo of the movement. Additionally, if you struggle to perform the exercise with straight legs, you can bend your knees slightly to decrease the difficulty. Vertical bench leg raises can be a valuable addition to any comprehensive core workout routine, but they should only be attempted once you have built up sufficient strength and stability in your core, and can be dangerous if performed incorrectly.