Skip to content
ascend.
Exercise guide

Leg Pull-In

How to do the Leg Pull-In with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.

CompoundBody OnlyBeginnerPull
Primary muscles

Abs

Secondary

,

Equipment

Body Only

Step by step

How to do the Leg Pull-In

  1. 1

    Lie on an exercise mat with your legs extended and your hands either palms facing down next to you or under your glutes. Tip: My preference is with the hands next to me. This will be your starting position.

  2. 2

    Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue the motion until your knees are around chest level. Contract your abs as you execute this movement and hold for a second at the top. Tip: As you perform the motion, the lower legs (calves) should always remain parallel to the floor.

  3. 3

    Return to the starting position as you inhale.

  4. 4

    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

In Ascend

Log it, see it on your body.

Every Leg Pull-In set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your abs volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.

Train with a goal

Where the Leg Pull-In fits

The Leg Pull-In shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:

Related

More abs exercises

FAQ

Leg Pull-In: common questions

What muscles does the Leg Pull-In work?

The Leg Pull-In primarily works the Abs.

Is the Leg Pull-In suitable for beginners?

Yes. The Leg Pull-In is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.

What equipment do I need for the Leg Pull-In?

None. The Leg Pull-In is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it without any equipment.

Is the Leg Pull-In a compound or isolation exercise?

The Leg Pull-In is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.

How do I do the Leg Pull-In with correct form?

Lie on an exercise mat with your legs extended and your hands either palms facing down next to you or under your glutes. Tip: My preference is with the hands next to me. This will be your starting position. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.

Try the climb

Log your Leg Pull-In sets, free.

Waitlist members get TestFlight + Play Store internal-track invites and a founder badge on their profile.

Free to join · No card · Founder badge kept
Ascend Club

The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.

Core tracking stays free forever, the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.

See Club plans

14-day free trial · no card to start

 FreeClub
Tracking, the climb and streaks
Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables
Muscle-league tiers
The AI coachnudgesFull conversation
Worldwide leagues and challenges,
PR projections and deep analytics,
Unlimited crews,
Themes, export and higher AI limits,