Hanging Leg Raise
Trunk flexion, bodyweight, abdominals and hip flexors
The hanging leg raise lifts the straight legs to hip height while you hang from a bar. It trains the abdominals and hip flexors, and the hang works the grip and forearms. It suits people who can hang for 30 seconds and want a hard move for the trunk.
Setting up
- Grip a pull up bar overhand, hands about shoulder width apart.
- Hang with straight arms and pull the shoulders slightly down.
- Let the legs hang straight and still.
How to do a hanging leg raise
- Brace the belly and squeeze the legs together.
- Lift the straight legs forward and up.
- Stop when the legs are level with the hips.
- Lower the legs slowly back down.
- Stop any swing before the next rep.
Breathing. Breathe out as you lift the legs and breathe in as you lower them.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Abdominals and hip flexors
- Also
- Forearms and obliques
Common mistakes
- Swinging to lift the legs. Momentum takes the work from the trunk, so pause at the bottom until the body is still.
- Bending the knees to get higher. That shortens the lever, so keep the legs straight, or use the knee raise until you can.
- Dropping the legs fast. The way down builds the trunk too, so take two seconds to lower.
Guide
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