Captains Chair Leg Raise
Description
The captain's chair leg raise is a core exercise performed on a captain's chair (vertical knee raise station) — a piece of equipment with elbow pads and back support. With your forearms supported on the pads, you lift your knees or legs up toward your chest. The supported position eliminates grip and shoulder demand, allowing you to focus purely on the abs.
Equipment Required
Captains Chair Leg Raise Instructions
- Step up onto the captain’s chair and place your forearms on the pads. Grip the handles firmly.
- Press your back firmly against the back pad. Let your legs hang straight down.
- Brace your core hard. Pull your shoulders down and away from your ears.
- Lift both knees up toward your chest by contracting your abs and hip flexors. Bend at the knees and hips.
- For more challenge: keep your legs straight (straight-leg raise) or curl your hips up at the top.
- Continue lifting until your knees are at chest height or higher. Pause briefly and squeeze your abs.
- Lower your legs slowly under control over a count of two to three seconds back to the hanging start position.
- Avoid swinging or kicking. Strict reps are far more effective than sloppy momentum-driven reps.
Captains Chair Leg Raise Form & Visual
Captains Chair Leg Raise Benefits
- Direct isolation of the lower abs and hip flexors
- Eliminates grip and shoulder demand vs hanging variations
- Excellent for high-rep ab volume work
- Easier to perform strictly than hanging exercises
- Allows easy progression from bent-knee to straight-leg variations
- Standard equipment in most commercial gyms
Captains Chair Leg Raise Muscles Worked
- Rectus abdominis (especially the lower portion)
- Hip flexors (iliopsoas)
- Obliques (secondary)
- Transverse abdominis
Captains Chair Leg Raise Variations & Alternatives
- Captain’s Chair Straight-Leg Raise
- Hanging Leg Hip Raise
- Hanging Knees to Elbows
- Lying Leg Raise (regression)
- Captain’s Chair Knee Twist (oblique bias)
- Weighted Captain’s Chair Leg Raise
- Pause Captain’s Chair Leg Raise (3-sec at top)
- Tempo Captain’s Chair Leg Raise (4-sec descent)
