It helps make your stomach muscles stronger.

It also helps you balance better and be more steady on your feet.

It's good for people just starting to exercise and those who are already fit.

You can add it to many different workouts, like strength training or exercises that help you move better in everyday life.

To do the exercise, sit on a captain's chair with your knees bent and feet off the ground.

Hold a weight (like a dumbbell) to make it harder. Start with a light weight if you're new to this.

Slowly lift your legs up towards your chest, keeping your back straight.

Lower your legs slowly back down without letting your legs touch the ground.

Keep your core tight the whole time to help control the movement.

Do several sets of these leg raises, resting between each set.

If you're unsure how to do this correctly, ask a trainer at your gym for help.

It makes your belly muscles stronger. Lifting your legs works your abs, giving you a stronger core.

It strengthens the muscles in your hips that help you lift your legs. This improves how easily you can move your legs and makes you more flexible.

It helps you keep your balance and stand steadier. Because it uses lots of muscles at once, it improves your coordination.

It's good for sports and other activities. A strong core is important for doing well in many sports and other physical things.

This is important for good posture and to help you do the exercise correctly. Make sure you're comfortable and stable.

Grab your weights: Hold a weight (like a dumbbell or medicine ball) between your feet. This will make the exercise harder and build more strength.

The weight should be challenging but not so heavy that you can't control your legs.

Engage your core muscles: Tighten your stomach muscles. This helps protect your back and makes the exercise more effective.

Think about pulling your belly button in towards your spine. This activates your core muscles.

Lift your legs slowly: Raise your legs straight up (or with a slight bend at the knees) until they're about at a right angle to your body.

Try to keep the movement smooth and controlled. Don't jerk or swing your legs.

Hold at the top: Pause for a moment at the highest point of the movement. Keep your stomach muscles tight.

This pause helps you feel the muscles working and makes the exercise more effective.

Slowly lower your legs: Bring your legs back down to the starting position, keeping control of the movement.

Don't let your legs drop quickly. This can hurt your back and make the exercise less effective.

Important tip: Don't swing your legs! Keep the movement controlled. This helps you work your muscles better and avoids injuries.

Controlling the movement is more important than lifting your legs very high.

Try hanging straight leg raises. You'll need a pull-up bar. Hang from it and lift your legs straight up. This is a great way to strengthen your lower stomach muscles (rectus abdominis) and the muscles in your hips (hip flexors). It's harder than the Captain's Chair because you're holding your whole body up.

Incline leg hip raises are another good option. Use an incline bench or a similar slanted surface. Lie on your back with your legs up the incline. Lift your legs and hips off the surface. This works your core and also your buttock muscles (glutes). The angle helps you move your hips in a way that can improve flexibility and strength.

Leg raises with a hip lift are done lying on your back. Lift your legs and, at the same time, push your hips up off the floor. This exercise is especially good for your lower stomach muscles and glutes. It gives you a good overall core workout.

Each of these exercises is a bit different, so you can find what you like best and add it to your workout plan.

Weighted Captain's Chair Leg Raise: This is a great exercise to strengthen your core and hip muscles. Adding weights makes it harder, building more strength.

Weighted Hanging Straight Leg Raise: Hang from a bar and lift your legs. This works your core and hip muscles even more, plus it helps build stronger grip and shoulders.

Regular Captain's Chair Leg Raise: This is a good starting point if you're new to leg raises. It helps you learn the right way to do the exercise before adding weights.

Variety is key! Switching between these exercises keeps your workouts interesting and helps you build muscles all over your core.

Find what works best for you. Experiment with the different leg raises to see which ones you like and which ones help you reach your fitness goals.

Tighten your tummy muscles: Make sure your stomach muscles are strong and working hard throughout the exercise. This helps you do the exercise correctly and makes it more helpful.

Start with light weights: Begin with a weight that's easy to manage. Once you can do the exercise correctly with good form, you can slowly add more weight.

Focus on control: The key is to lift your legs in a steady, controlled way, and lower them just as carefully. Avoid jerking or rushing the movement.

It's important to do the exercise correctly to get the best results and avoid injuries. This means focusing on good posture and controlled movements. Don't rush the exercise.

Start slowly. Begin with no weight or very light weight to get used to the movement and build strength before adding more weight.

Keep your back straight throughout the exercise. Avoid arching your back, which can strain your lower back. Imagine a straight line from your head to your hips.

Raise your legs slowly and smoothly. Don't jerk them up. Control the movement throughout the entire exercise. Lower your legs slowly as well.

Breathe correctly. Exhale as you lift your legs and inhale as you lower them. This helps control your movements and keeps you from getting out of breath.

Listen to your body. If you feel any pain, stop immediately. Don't push yourself too hard, especially when starting.

You can change the difficulty by adjusting the weight you lift or the height you raise your legs. Start with a lower weight and gradually increase it as you get stronger.

Doing this exercise regularly can improve your overall fitness and help with activities that require core and hip strength, such as sports and everyday movements.