The Leg Raise Mistake That's Hurting Your Back

Leg raises are a great way to work your abs and build a stronger core, but placing your hands under your hips can compromise the benefits of the exercise.
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[@adolfojp]

I damaged my back doing leg raises in my late teens without guidance or supervision. I was arching my back, back and forth with every leg motion, just grinding. I didn't know that you were supposed to tilt your hips or use your core muscles to glue your back to the floor. It was pre-Internet, don't judge me. It was painful but at that age you abuse your body's ability to take damage and pass the consequences to your older self. And now I'm paying the debts of my actions with interests. So thank you for explaining how to do these right so others won't injure themselves.

[@moh6410]

damaged your back ? what happen to your back ?

[@JohnBowen117]

​@@moh6410I've seen comments on other videos about this exercise advising hands beneath your glutes as a method to avoiding such back problems that are created by this exercise. I'm getting mixed messages now. It's hindering your gains. You'll screw your lower back. These people are a pain

[@mammi7699]

2 minutes and 53 seconds of pure information... Decided to Google my problem during workout and instantly found my answer... Great video👍🏼

[@idsavo]

I just realised that I've been wasting time through the years on this excersise, either on my own or in a gym class. All that time is gone. On the bright side, I'm so grateful I can make use of that time in the future. Thank you dude.

[@mrplanksy925]

Exactly what I realized. Matt is an amazing encyclopedia of knowledge. Watching his videos is the equivalent to having your own personal world class trainer. Matt is the best in the business no question!

[@RedDeltaProject]

Super appreciate the props Mr. Planksy!

[@dcawkwell]

I just noticed myself doing this a couple of days ago and noticed correcting my hand position improved the exercise. Thanks for explaining why.

[@anujafernando8438]

Thanks a million! I was actually doing this mistake for so many years and it hurt my lower back just like you said. Now I know where my hands should be!

[@Jaytee27]

2 mins of straight to the point/answer video. Thank you! 👍

[@shannx3228]

Oh this clarified so many things for me. I’ll start with bent knee raises instead. Thank you!

[@kookiemon5]

This was incredibly helpful! Thank you so much for the information.

[@hongjiang3601]

this guy does not get hundreds of thousands viewers for his talk, but some of his talk make a lot of sense, gives lot of valuable insight, warning, mechanism that are not often discussed in traditional demo. many thanks to this guy. another one i like is MoveU. similarly, lot of peculiar, hidden, but very important mechanism discussed. these people don't just teach you how to go thru the look of the motion.

[@tidaltidaltidal]

Yes, i found that without hands under your lower back it started to get tougher. It means i worked my abs more effective than usual. Thanks for the tips

[@joanwanjiku5275]

Did you keep your shoulders and head on the floor? If it's okay to raise your head

[@ddpwe5269]

Great advice Matt! Another tool for a transition period, but never to be relied on!

[@ChurailKaSaya]

Thanks u so much! Had been struggling so much with this!😅

[@hajinjin9133]

Thank you so much for explaining this! It's so easy to understand now and makes sense! I also appreciate the quick work up to regular leg raises you went over. I am just starting out and have chronic pain so the modified examples are very helpful.

[@wyatthuggins3292]

Great advice. Thanks Matt!

[@msaltima93]

Thank you for this video. Very insightful and educational. I never knew this.

[@zahrazar9974]

Thank you, I've always had problem with this exercise.

[@RevolutionRNT]

this helped me a lot! thank you!

[@duncan7961]

Kept this in mind during yesterday's workout, makes a real difference. Thank you

[@RedDeltaProject]

Great to hear, if it feels different then it's working, or at least creating a new stimulus which is much the same thing.

[@brittanymorgan689]

I just had a very intense abdominal workout... Thank you really trying to lose weight and build muscle that whole thing about arching back takes intensity away helped a lot.. I made sure back wasn't arched and it really targetted my abdominals alot better.... Thank you

[@brave7033]

Useful tips ! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@jameswoods6385]

Hey Matt, I know you didn't make the end analysis by paralysis just because of me, but it seemed like you were talking directly to me lol. You are right that you have to figure out what works for you. You can get a blueprint and then adjust as necessary for your own goals and needs. I definitely tend to over analyze things. Your program does not have to be perfect. Start somewhere and adjust as necessary. Thank you for all you do. You are really helping so many people including myself. I appreciate it immensely. God bless

[@YoUnfortunate_Event]

thank you sir i learned a lot from this

[@gamingmode9859]

Ty very much I'm going try it soon

[@simonvance8054]

Great explanation, thanks a lot! I would never have guessed that makes so much difference…

[@ceozyamerz4778]

Thanks bro... This is what ive been searching for

[@RedDeltaProject]

Glad I could help :)

[@dropweightdaddy]

Thank you Matt.

[@onk215]

Thank you for this 🎉

[@cartoonez]

Pure great information!

[@gamerchristina1079]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 💪💪❤️❤️‼️

[@RedDeltaProject]

Glad you like them, and thank you so much for watchin!

[@thsilentmelody]

Could I ask, whenever I do these kind of ab exercises I don’t find my lower back to hurt but my neck.. it feels like I’m straining it somehow. How do I relieve the stress to my neck?

[@RedDeltaProject]

That' natural as the front of your neck is part of your flxion chain. You can work on keeping your head on the floor, but also your neck will grow stronger over time too. Maybe put a pillow under your head too

[@aniruddhmaitra1728]

Interesting. I had the same doubt. This helps a lot. Thanks!

[@kapoorrajesh]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6DKh3RqftWtr9U Check this

[@daves9355]

Keep your head flat on the ground. I had the same neck issues when raising my head off the ground doing these.

[@eliascorrea8573]

great tips

[@lonelyken4215]

wow dude i was having alot of bonetail pain down there and i didn't know why thanks dude you saved a big portion of my back

[@RedDeltaProject]

So glad to hear, anything that can reduce the pain in the body during training is a very good thing indeed

[@jaketwigg1065]

Can you talk about how to understand our own nervous system and how to maintain a healthy one

[@r1der589]

I was wondering if i should put my hands like that or not because i want to start doing leg raises but thanks to you i know understand that it's reduces the impact of the exercise.This video came in the right time

[@AlexEinherjar]

I'm guilty of doing this. Good to know. Thanks a lot.

[@hardbodytraining100]

Nice tips

[@jonathanajith9863]

Thx man cuz I wondering why it was so easy I started doing this and been really working thx

[@RedDeltaProject]

You're welcome Jonathan, happy training!

[@nipex69]

Wow, thank you

[@badublackwater6556]

Thank you very much!

[@michaelblacktree]

For many years, I did leg raises and flutter kicks with my hands under my butt. And it always made my lower back a little sore. But recently, I saw a video from Redefining Strength, and she said basically the same thing you did. So I tried it. No back pain! 👍

[@kapoorrajesh]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6DKh3RqftWtr9U Check this

[@rmiliming]

brilliant ! tks a lot !

[@_The_Worst_]

I'm glad to see that I never done it incorrectly...👌🏼💯✔

[@serdarylmaz2649]

thanks a lot if it wasnt for you I would keep doing leg raises the way I do despite the lover back pain now I know exactly what to do

[@crissuzuki8837]

thank you💪❤️

[@regprofant6984]

Aaannnddd another great video

[@twooharmony2000]

Locks into place,, good point.-Ernie Moore Jr.

[@lachlanriley5468]

Thanks man, I was doing them correctly for a while then I don’t what I did differently but it felt harder on my back and not my abs

[@limitalspace5287]

Thanks!

[@RedDeltaProject]

Welcome!

[@m.j.armstrong1803]

I just started incorporating these into my routine, and I totally do the hands under the hips thing, so this technique tutorial could not have come at a better time. Thank you!

[@alialmuhanna4938]

Thank you.

[@fuzedtwo8104]

Thank you

[@Aftermader]

THANKS BRODDA

[@RedDeltaProject]

More than welcome Hamza

[@UncleDanBand64]

You are 100% correct Tex👍🇺🇸

[@altide8784]

I was just thinking about doing these with the hands, guess I will not

[@kendyjohn-baptiste1711]

Thanks for helping me my friend

[@RedDeltaProject]

No problem

[@Lalalalalelo]

thanks

[@richardh9828]

Incredible Timing, this is exactly what I needed! Thanks a ton!

[@setho1231]

Modern society be like

[@richardh9828]

@@setho1231 you've got a point, the sedentary lifestyle wrecks our bodies.

[@MikeAlwill]

Same (but 8 months later lol). I'm starting Hybrid Calisthenics's routine and having trouble with leg raises but this is helpful, particularly the two starter variations

[@ice_wallow_come5449]

Nice 👍

[@jaimeguadian5558]

Makes sense, been doing it wrong for so long

[@dragonicus2614]

Thank you so much, I started not knowing if I was doing it properly aand thought I would ruin my back, turns out I was and won't. Feel the burn🤙 🔥

[@RedDeltaProject]

Glad I could help!

[@606pretty]

Thanx. For a quick minute I thought you were going to state that leg raises don't do @nything @ll for the Bliques😂

[@waggz04]

Hey Matt, is this exercise okay to do with herniated discs in the lower back?

[@uninamed2292]

I'd say that the most common problem i see people doing with all isometric exercises for the transverse abdominis is to hyperextend their spine, which in lying leg raises results in the low back not being in contact with the floor.

[@medjdalan5191]

Hey, Matt! I noticed that the entire time u had ur head up. Is it better to keep our head up or keep it flat on the floor?

[@goxlau3243]

I had another question, should we lift our head up like you did in the video while doing the exercise or not lifting up? (seems to be activating more abs when lifting the head up)

[@Abandex369]

Time to practice

[@stylewithchris]

Omg I've been doing it with my hands under my hips the entire time lol. Thank you .

[@RedDeltaProject]

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, I wouldn’t certainly say it’s wrong, just more of a regression and using the hands to help the abs do their job

[@vigneshr5190]

Does leg raise excercise help to recover from anterior pelvic tilt???

[@bedoniyt]

There's a short called "Train your damn hip flexors" - by Squat University which shows a perfect illustration of why to brace your core.

[@joevillarreal192]

That explains a lot 😅

[@gymelln.chrichlow3224]

You made your point at 1:52, definitely subscribing....👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾 awesome video... well detailed....😁😁

[@RedDeltaProject]

Welcome and thank you for checking out my videos. Feel free to ask questions or make video requests on the RDP instagram @red.delta.project.

[@gymelln.chrichlow3224]

@@RedDeltaProject heck yea!!!! 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@pauldrayton3150]

Guilty as charged 🙋🏾‍♂️ from tomorrow no more 💯

[@SomeGuy-ne3yl]

you now pivot around the tailbone by centering all force onto it. how will this remove the pain i end up having in the tailbone?

[@MadraBeag999]

Any advice for a beginner 60+ with diastasis recti?

[@mrplanksy925]

Hey Matt, It is like you are talking directly to me. I know you are not but still. No wonder my back is killing me. Lol!

[@vaibhav_nitesh]

Ok corrected I'm a beginner and I too felt it

[@mdgeisto8953]

Exactly the bit of info I was just looking for in terms of leg raises (particularly the stages before graduating to actual leg raises) - thanks for the vid!

[@nicz4593]

I think i had wrong posture because my lower back hurts so much when i stand up. Thanks for the vid

[@DavidHudson-ov4yr]

Hay I have been doing leg raises for a while in my ab workout and I find that my tailbone is hurting and not my lower back, do you have any insight as to why?

[@humanperson7646]

Hey thanks

[@diannaseelumbur9557]

What is the correct next position for this exercise as I find my back arching when I rest my head on the ground. Thanks 👍🏼

[@cass3267]

I’ve been doing leg ups for a couple years now and I use my hands under my hips to make it easier on my body. My stomach is now washboard flat, so I don’t see why you have to make it harder for yourself!!

[@BlazeNarutoShippuden]

I've been doing Leg Raises for 2 weeks and glad i discovered doing it because it targets my lower belly muscles which is hard to get rid of and tone. So glad I've been doing it right and hands at my sides and not my butt. I noticed when you did it with your butt I really didn't feel that burn feeling you know. so I stopped that and went with the hands on the sides. Now I only do straight leg raises and not the bent knee versions. 4x12 a day along with my other workout routine.

[@oscarin13]

what's ur avg workout routine??

[@BlazeNarutoShippuden]

@@oscarin13 I currently been doing this for about 16 days now. I might start resting on the weekends and doing it Monday through Friday. I started this on July 16th 2023 4x15 Dumbbell Curls 4x20 Bodyweight Squats 4x10 Pushups 4x12 Leg Raises (I can go to 4x24 now though) 4x20 Dumbbell Glute Bridges 4x10 Dumbbell Side Bends

[@scottdorsey740]

Matt how would add weight training to your workouts,say deadlift I love my dlifts.Would you do a weight movement then follow up with your routine for that exercise.I still like to move the iron,but I like your routine also.

[@RedDeltaProject]

I simply swap out the calisthenics for the weighted exericse and vice versa. At the end of the day, it' all still working the same tension chains (push, pull, suat flexion ect) and deadlifts are an extension chain exercise. So just do those for your extension workout instead of, or alternating with bodyweight extension exercises.

[@caesportsfpsproreplays82]

Vin diesel when he’s done with the family business

[@azaphix8707]

Is it fine if i use a pillow to cushion my tailbone it hurts so much i cant even raise my legs trying to do leg raises

[@Dog-hv7li]

What are the results

[@hixcrip]

Sir pls guide me,when i do this exercise there is a sound in my hip flexion and becomes severe when i do it constantly

[@JohnBowen117]

I've heard you can risk damaging your lower vertebrae or something regional to the lower back, so that's why when I did it like this, plus I'm lanky with a prominent tailbone. Anything that involves my torso on the floor like this damages my tailbone extensively if I do it too often. My anatomy is frustrating.

[@brunodragas2417]

So is it normal for my back to hurt when I do leg raised sit ups, I started yesterday?

[@viviennejeanbourquin9667]

Nice thanks! But also if I push my back into the ground when lower down the knees I lift my back up from the ground. Is that normal at the beginning or what should I do?

[@RedDeltaProject]

It is common, and it takes practice to move at the hip joint but not the lumbar spine so that doesn't happen.

[@chuckleberryflin]

Matt's laying down on the job, yet still getting work done!? 😂

[@RedDeltaProject]

lol, always!

[@arson7357]

No matter how many tutorials I watch I can't engage my lower abs my belly judt pokes out and I can't keep it down when I do leg raises

[@Angela_UG]

Thank you so much!

[@rollandb1767]

Hands under your butt is a regression exercise for those who can not keep their low back flat to the floor or those with bad backs.

[@RedDeltaProject]

You're right it is regressive, because the abs are not contracting hard enough. So the hands are doing the job the abs are supposed to be doing. Which is fine, but it tends to become a crutch and inhibits the process.

[@truongdang8130]

OH MY GOD…. The army made me do this and no wonder my back hurts and my abs strength suck. Thank you for the clarification. Imma start from ground zero again with lying knee raises

[@ibrahimibm5338]

1:18 😅absolutely

[@randymarsh9488]

So I have to curve my lower back in towards me so it is flat against the mat?

[@mizmichi1]

How do you not arch the back?

[@moistpudding9606]

Is it okay to feel the pressure until my abs are strong enough?

[@Jewelznme]

Hmmm well I have a flat butt and I feel my tail bone scratching the floor and it hurts. What can I do?