slow leg pull in flat bench: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of slow 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. Maintain slow form throughout.

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

Hypertrophy grade

Average5 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The leg raise on the bench offers good isolation of the abs, particularly the rectus abdominis, but it remains limited by core stability of the hips and the ability to maintain continuous tension in the stretched position. Less stable than the ground or suspended variants, it can be a little restricted in progressive overload. Ideal for targeting the abdominals without putting too much strain on the hip flexors, but it falls short of weighted exercises for pure hypertrophy.

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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slow leg pull in flat bench

How to do this exercise

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