Core · Bodyweight
Criss Cross Leg Raises
How to do the criss cross leg raises, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie flat on your back with your legs raised straight and slightly off the floor, hands under your hips for support. Keeping your legs straight, scissor them open and crossed over each other side to side in a criss-cross pattern while holding them low.
- 1The lower abs and hip flexors holding your legs up
- 2The inner thighs pulling as the legs cross
- 3Constant tension from keeping the legs from touching down
Common mistakes
- Letting your lower back arch off the floor
- Dropping your legs too low and losing core tension
- Holding your breath; keep breathing through the scissors
Muscles worked
The criss cross leg raises mainly works the lower abs and hip flexors, with the obliques, adductors, upper abs, and quads assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- AdductorsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
Kovo programs the criss cross leg raises for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.