Exercises / Hanging Leg Raise

Hanging Leg Raise

Also known as: Hanging knee raise, Hanging hip raise, Toes-to-bar (strict cousin)

A hang from a bar. The legs lift by flexing the hips without a swing.

Primary muscles
Core (hip flexors), Core (rectus abdominis)
Secondary muscles
Forearms
Equipment
Bodyweight (pull-up bar)
Pattern
Core
Difficulty
Intermediate
Line diagram of a Hanging Leg Raise.
Diagram: Fytniz. License: original-placeholder (Fytniz).

Stills

Hanging straight-leg raise from a doorway bar.
Alexandr Varlamov ,Italia.jpg by Alexandr Varlamov, CC BY-SA 4.0. License: CC BY-SA (share-alike). Source.
Hanging knee raise from an outdoor bar.
USMC-19686.jpg by Lance Cpl. Crystal Druery, U.S. Marine Corps. Public domain. License: Public domain. Source.

Cues

  1. Hang from a bar with the arms long, ribs down, and the legs still.
  2. Raise the legs by flexing the hips; knees may stay straight or bend, but the torso does not swing.
  3. Stop when the thighs reach about parallel, or higher if the back stays quiet.
  4. Lower under control to a full hang; do not throw the next rep with a kip.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the body so the hips, not the abs, toss the legs up.
  • Using a captain's chair or forearm pads and calling it a hang.
  • Shrugging into the bar and bending the elbows into a pull-up.

Safety

  • Do not kip. Drop off if the shoulders start to hang out of the sockets.