Hanging leg raise

What it is

An exercise where you hang from a bar and raise your legs, training the abdominals as they flex the trunk and control the legs. Bending the knees makes it easier; keeping the legs straight makes it harder.

Muscles worked

Primary: Core (rectus abdominis). Secondary: Hip flexors, Forearms.

How to perform it

1. Hang from a bar with an overhand grip, shoulders active and body still.
2. Brace the core and, without swinging, raise your knees (easier) or straight legs (harder) upward.
3. Curl the pelvis slightly at the top to fully engage the abs rather than only the hip flexors.
4. Lower under control to a dead hang without letting the body swing.

Common form faults

• Swinging the body to fling the legs up. Slow down, brace, and control both directions; regress to bent knees if you can't do it without swinging.
• Only raising the legs with the hip flexors and no pelvic curl. Add a slight posterior tilt of the pelvis at the top so the abs, not just the hip flexors, do the work.

Programming

Regress with bent knees or lying leg raises; progress toward straight legs and eventually toes-to-bar. Train 8–15 controlled reps rather than swinging for numbers.