Easy exercise of the week: Lying leg raises

This one is another ab sculptor.

This is a simple but effective exercise which can be done on a bench or even simply lying on the floor. It's another one of those 'lie on your back' routines and this always makes us happy. As we've stated before, there's no point in doing the exercise unless you know how to do it properly, so technique is key here to maximise benefit. Here's how it's done.

• Lie with your back flat on a bench with your legs extended in front of you off the end. If lying on the floor, lift your legs six inches off the ground and engage your ab muscles while doing so.
• Place your hands either under your backside/glutes with your palms down. If on the bench, hold on to either side.
• As you keep your legs extended, keep them as straight as possible with a slight bend at the knee. Then raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor or the bench. Breathe out as you perform this part of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
• Now, as you breathe in, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position. Try to ensure that your legs come back to the starting position after a count of four. Once you start to bring your legs back down, you should be counting to four in your head and this will ensure your abs are getting a proper workout.

Once you've mastered this exercise, you can push yourself further by holding a light weight/dumbbell in between your feet as you do the exercise. http://youtu.be/xqTh6NqbAtM Video via YouTube/HASfit For more easy exercises, click here