How Strong Are Your Abs? (The Double Leg Lowering Test)
Summary
Jeff Cavaliere introduces a simple, no-equipment test to measure true abdominal strength by isolating the abs from the hip flexors. The double leg lowering test assesses whether your abs are strong enough to maintain a posterior pelvic tilt against the increasing gravitational load of your legs. Your results from the test also serve as a personalized starting point for targeted ab training.
Key Points
- Hip flexors can mask weak abs — being able to complete ab exercises doesn’t necessarily mean your abs are strong; dominant hip flexors may be compensating throughout the movement
- The test requires zero equipment and can be performed anywhere on the floor
- A flat back signals ab engagement — maintaining a posterior pelvic tilt requires active abdominal contraction; any gap forming under the lower back indicates the abs have lost control
- The angle at which your lower back breaks form determines your current ab strength level:
- Loss of flat back at ~75° = very weak abs
- Loss of flat back at 45° = basic/moderate score
- Maintaining form down to 30° = above average
- Reaching just above the floor = strong
- The full test includes the return trip — after holding the low position for ~5 seconds, reversing back up to 90° without losing pelvic tilt is the true mark of ab strength
- Your breaking point becomes your training zone — work repeatedly up to the angle where form breaks, then reset, rather than pushing through with compromised form
- Time under tension dramatically increases difficulty — slowing a leg lift to a 2-seconds-per-stage cadence can turn the movement into a high-intensity 10-rep set
Exercise Details
Double Leg Lowering Test / Exercise
Target Muscles
- Primary: rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis
- Stabilizers resisted: hip flexors (intentionally challenged, not used to cheat)
Proper Form Cues
- Lie flat on your back and press your lower back firmly into the floor (posterior pelvic tilt)
- Place thumbs pointing inward under your lower back — no space should exist between your thumbs and the floor
- Raise both legs to 90°
- Slowly lower legs in stages (90° → 75° → 45° → 30° → just above floor), pausing to assess back position at each level
- Reverse the movement back up through the same stages without allowing the lower back to arch off the floor
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Allowing an anterior pelvic tilt (lower back arching away from the floor) — this signals the hip flexors have taken over and the abs have disengaged
- Lowering legs too quickly, which bypasses the need for sustained abdominal control
- Training beyond your breaking point with poor form instead of working within your functional range
Sets/Reps Recommendations
- Train within your current range of control, stopping just before the point of form breakdown
- Use a 2-second descent per stage cadence for added time under tension
- This pacing can make a single set of 10 reps highly demanding