Muscles Worked:

1. Primary Muscles:

   • Rectus Abdominis (lower abdominal muscles)
   • Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas muscles)

2. Secondary Muscles:

   • Obliques (side abdominals)
   • Transverse Abdominis (deep core stabilizers)
   • Glutes (gluteus maximus and medius)

Setup:

1. Position:

   • Lie on your back on a mat or flat surface with your arms placed by your sides, palms down for stability.
   • Bend your knees to a 90-degree angle, with your feet off the floor and the knees positioned directly above the hips.
   • Keep your head, neck, and shoulders relaxed throughout the movement.

2. Core Engagement:

   • Before starting the exercise, engage your core by slightly tucking your pelvis and drawing your navel towards your spine. This activation helps protect your lower back and emphasizes the work on the abdominal muscles.

Performing the Exercise:

1. Starting Position:

   • Begin with your lower back flat on the ground, arms pressing lightly against the floor for stability, and knees bent at 90 degrees.

2. Lifting the Hips:

   • Using your core, lift your hips off the ground, curling your pelvis toward your chest. Hip Raise Bent Knee. Focus on contracting the lower abdominal muscles to perform the lift.
   • Avoid using momentum from your legs—keep the movement slow and controlled.
   • Exhale as you lift your hips, maintaining the contraction in your core.

3. Top Position:

   • At the top of the movement, your hips should be lifted slightly off the floor while keeping the knees bent and close to the chest. Pause for a moment to maximize the contraction.

4. Lowering the Hips:

   • Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position with control, inhaling as you lower.
   • Ensure that your lower back remains in contact with the mat throughout the lowering phase to protect your spine and keep the focus on the abdominals.

5. Repetitions:

   • Perform 10-15 repetitions per set, or as many as needed to feel a deep engagement in the lower abs.

Benefits:

1. Lower Abdominal Focus: The bent knee hip raise effectively targets the lower abs, which are often challenging to engage with traditional crunches.
2. Core Strengthening: This exercise improves overall core stability and strength, which is essential for functional movements, athletic performance, and posture.
3. Low Back Protection: Because the exercise is performed on your back with bent knees, it minimizes stress on the lower back compared to some other abdominal exercises.
4. Hip Mobility: The movement also enhances hip flexor mobility, which can contribute to better posture and movement efficiency in other exercises.

Safety Tips:

1. Avoid Using Momentum: Make sure you’re lifting your hips using your abdominal muscles, Hip Raise Bent Knee. not by swinging your legs or using momentum. The slower the movement, the better the activation.
2. Protect Your Lower Back: Keep your lower back flat on the mat throughout the exercise. If your back starts to arch, you may be relying too much on your hip flexors rather than your core.
3. Breathing: Don’t hold your breath. Exhale as you lift your hips and inhale as you lower them to keep your core engaged and avoid straining.
4. Controlled Movements: Focus on slow, controlled motions to maximize the effectiveness of the exercise and reduce the risk of injury.

Variations:

1. Straight Leg Hip Raise: For more challenge, extend your legs straight instead of keeping them bent. This adds more resistance and activates the hip flexors and lower abs to a greater degree.
2. Weighted Hip Raise: Hold a small dumbbell or weight between your feet to increase the intensity of the exercise.
3. Incline Bench Reverse Crunch: Perform the bent knee hip raise on an incline bench for a slightly different angle, which increases resistance on the lower abs.

Common Mistakes:

1. Arching the Lower Back: Allowing the lower back to arch takes the focus off the abs and increases the risk of injury. Ensure the back stays flat on the mat throughout the exercise.
2. Using Momentum: Avoid using momentum from swinging your legs. Focus on controlled, deliberate movement powered by your core.
3. Excessive Leg Motion: The exercise should involve raising your hips, not swinging your legs back and forth. Keep your legs bent and move in a controlled manner to maximize the ab contraction.

The Bent Knee Hip Raise is a simple yet highly effective exercise to target the lower abdominals, improve core stability, and strengthen the hips. Proper form and control are essential to get the best results and avoid strain on the lower back.