mrnyore's Review Of Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars

Jun 18, 2010 6:33 PM: I felt it really bad in my lower back the following day for some reason. I immediately felt it in my abs while doing it however. Does this suppose to work your lower back as well? I felt it really bad in my lower back the following day for some reason. I immediately felt it in my abs while doing it however. Does this suppose to work your lower back as well?-See Less

Jan 25, 2012 5:00 PM: I find this exercise supremely difficult as I do not have the strength to hold by elbows... any help anyone? I am 64 and overweight... maybe that accounts for part of the problem... I find this exercise supremely difficult as I do not have the strength to hold by elbows... any help anyone? I am 64 and overweight... maybe that accounts for part of the problem...-See Less

Jun 20, 2010 3:11 AM: It always bugs me when knee raises are promoted as an abdominal exercise without a warning about lumbar strain. The primary muscles used in this exercise are not the abs, but the psoas. These muscles (one on each side of the spine) originate on the lumbar vertebrae and insert on the upper femur. ...+See More It always bugs me when knee raises are promoted as an abdominal exercise without a warning about lumbar strain. The primary muscles used in this exercise are not the abs, but the psoas. These muscles (one on each side of the spine) originate on the lumbar vertebrae and insert on the upper femur. Their sole job is to bring the femur forward. When you are doing a knee raise, the psoas is yanking on your lumbar spine as it tries to raise your thigh and leg. Your abs are trying to stabilize this by pulling on the front of your pelvis. Remember, the abs do not cross the hip joint; the only way to directly exercise your abs is by trying to bring your pelvis and your ribcage toward each other. In the knee raise, this only happens when the knees are brought close to your torso and your pelvis can move up.

Watch your lower back in supine leg raises as well, for the same reasons.

Abdominal curls (with weight plates, if you like) across a Swiss ball are great for disengaging the psoas, getting a nice spine range of motion and directly working the abs. Just a suggestion.

As a side note, because the psoas brings the femur forward for striding, it can become overdeveloped in runners and can contribute to hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine.-See Less