Legs · Bodyweight
Lying Straight Leg Marches
How to do the lying straight leg marches, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie flat on your back with legs straight and arms by your sides, pressing your lower back gently into the floor. Keeping each leg straight, lift one leg toward the ceiling, lower it, then alternate in a steady marching rhythm. Move with control and keep your core braced the whole time.
- 1Feel your lower abs and hip flexors lift each straight leg
- 2Keep your lower back pressed into the floor
- 3Move in a slow, controlled march
Common mistakes
- Avoid letting your lower back arch off the floor
- Don't swing the legs with momentum
- Avoid holding your breath; breathe steadily
Muscles worked
The lying straight leg marches mainly works the hip flexors and lower abs, with the upper abs and quads assisting.
- Hip FlexorsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- QuadsSupport
- ObliquesMinor
- Tibialis AnteriorMinor
Kovo programs the lying straight leg marches 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 hips & adductors exercises
- How to do the butterfly stretch
- How to do the external rotation
- How to do the cable hip adduction
- How to do the internal rotation
- How to do the cobra pose
- How to do the core scrunch
Last reviewed June 2026.