leg pull in flat bench: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of leg pull in flat bench

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on a flat bench with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
Step:2 Place your hands on the bench beside your hips for support.
Step:3 Engage your abs and lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
Step:4 Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
Step:5 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Body weight
Body part: Abdominals
Target muscle: Rectus abdominis
Secondary muscle: Lower back Transverse abdominis Internal obliques External obliques

Hypertrophy grade

Average5 / 10

Nemeo’s take

This leg raise, a simplified cousin of the suspended raise, effectively targets the rectus abdominus but remains limited by the stability of the trunk and the difficulty of loading the exercise over the long term. The maximum tension is located in the middle and end of the amplitude, making progressive overload difficult compared to weighted or suspended variants. Ideal for home isolation, but it quickly reaches its ceiling for pure hypertrophy. Good complement, less efficient than the great classics for strong progress.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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leg pull in flat bench

How to do this exercise

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