Front Leg Raises
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Front Leg Raises
- Stand next to a chair or other support, holding on with one hand.
- Swing your leg forward, keeping the leg straight. Continue with a downward swing, bringing the leg as far back as your flexibility allows. Repeat 5-10 times, and then switch legs.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Front Leg Raises
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Chair Leg Extended Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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2
Leg-Up Hamstring Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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3
Upper Back-Leg Grab
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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4
Hamstring Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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5
Hamstring-SMR
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings, using a foam roller.
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6
Runner's Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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7
Seated Floor Hamstring Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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8
Standing Hamstring and Calf Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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9
Standing Toe Touches
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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10
The Straddle
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do front leg raises work?
Front Leg Raises primarily works the hamstrings.
What equipment do I need for front leg raises?
None. Front Leg Raises is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Front Leg Raises: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Front Leg Raises is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of front leg raises?
Chair Leg Extended Stretch, Leg-Up Hamstring Stretch, Upper Back-Leg Grab train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log front leg raises in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the hamstrings on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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