Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female)
The point of Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) is bracing strength that carries over; heavy bilateral barbell loading is how it gets there.
How to do Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female)
- Sit on a bench with your back straight and hold a barbell across your thighs.
- Place your hands on the sides of the bench for support.
- Keeping your legs straight, lift one leg up as high as possible while keeping it parallel to the ground.
- Lower the leg back down and repeat with the other leg.
- Continue alternating legs for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.
Hypertrophy
4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.
Endurance
3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.
Common Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) Mistakes
Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load
Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.
Pulling with the hip flexors while the abs stay slack
Start every rep by flattening the lower back down, then move.
Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months
Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female)
Swap Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) For
Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female)?
Sit on a bench with your back straight and hold a barbell across your thighs. Place your hands on the sides of the bench for support. Keeping your legs straight, lift one leg up as high as possible while keeping it parallel to the ground. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) work?
The Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) primarily targets the abs. It is classified as a core exercise and is performed with a barbell.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) should I do?
For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female) good for beginners?
It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic core patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Sitted Alternate Leg Raise (female)?
Try the Weighted Russian Twist (legs Up), Wheel Rollerout or the Power Point Plank. Each trains the abs with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
