# Captain's Chair Knee Raise

A knee raise on a captain's chair, with your forearms on the arm pads and your back against the back pad. Trains the abs and hip flexors without grip or body swing limiting the set.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Captain’s Chair
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/captains-chair-leg-raise/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/captains-chair-knee-raise/

## Muscles worked

- Abs: 9/10
- Obliques: 5/10
- Core: 5/10

## How to do the Captain's Chair Knee Raise

1. Rest your forearms on the pads, back against the back pad.
2. Grip the handles firmly, and pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
3. Raise both knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
4. Lower your legs slowly until they hang straight down again.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Step onto the base of the captain's chair and rest your forearms on the arm pads.
2. Grip the handles firmly and set your shoulders down without shrugging toward your ears.
3. Press your back into the back pad and let your legs hang straight down.
4. Tighten your stomach and raise both knees together until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
5. Keep the motion smooth without kicking, swinging, or letting your ribs flare upward.
6. Lower your legs under control until they hang straight down again.
7. Pause briefly at the bottom, then start the next rep without swinging.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging knees for momentum
- Stopping short of hip height
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Letting the lower back arch
- Dropping into the next rep

## Form cues

- Keep ribs down
- Lift with abs first
- Back stays on the pad
- Thighs to parallel
- Pause out the swing

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–25 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-decline-sit-up/), [Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-straight-arm-crunch/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Lying Resistance Band Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-crunch/), [Lying Resistance Band Knee Tuck](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-knee-tuck/)
- **Medicine ball**: [Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-toe-touch-crunch/), [Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-straight-arm-crunch/)
- **Suspension trainer**: [Suspension Trainer Hanging Knee Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-hanging-knee-raise/), [Suspension Trainer Hanging Leg Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-hanging-leg-raise/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Ab Wheel Pass Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-crunch/) — 30% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Ab Wheel Half Rollout](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-half-rollout/) — 40% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Captain's Chair Knee Raise — 45% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Ab Wheel Knee Tuck](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-knee-tuck/) — 60% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Dip Station Leg Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/dip-station-leg-raise/) — 70% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Captain's Chair Knee Raise work?

Primary: Abs 9/10. Also works: Obliques 5/10, Core 5/10.

### When should I do the Captain's Chair Knee Raise in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Captain's Chair Knee Raise?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–25 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Captain's Chair Knee Raise?

Dumbbells: Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up, Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch. Resistance bands: Lying Resistance Band Crunch, Lying Resistance Band Knee Tuck. Medicine ball: Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch, Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Hanging Knee Raise, Suspension Trainer Hanging Leg Raise.

### What is an easier version of the Captain's Chair Knee Raise?

Ab Wheel Half Rollout (40% of bodyweight), Ab Wheel Pass Crunch (30% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Captain's Chair Knee Raise?

Ab Wheel Knee Tuck (60% of bodyweight), Dip Station Leg Raise (70% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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