What if my grip gives out before my abs do?

It is common for grip strength to be a bottleneck; you can use lifting straps or perform the exercise on a captain's chair station until your forearms get stronger.

How high should I lift my legs?

Aim for at least parallel to the floor, but for maximum abdominal engagement, try to bring your toes all the way to the bar.

Can I do this with bent knees?

Yes, performing hanging knee raises is an excellent regression that reduces the leverage and makes the movement more manageable for beginners.

Should my back stay flat against a pad?

In a true hanging raise on a pull-up bar, your body is free-hanging, so you must use your lats and core to stabilize yourself and prevent swinging.

Hanging Leg Raises: Master This Advanced Core Exercise

Learn how to perform hanging leg raises with perfect form. Build core strength, improve stability, and define your abs with our expert guide.

How to Perform

Grasp the pull-up bar with an overhand grip, placing your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Hang with your arms fully extended and your shoulders engaged by pulling your shoulder blades down and back.
Exhale and contract your core to lift your legs toward the ceiling while keeping them as straight as possible.
Continue the upward movement until your hips tilt forward and your legs are at least parallel to the floor.
Pause for a brief second at the top of the movement to ensure maximum muscle contraction.
Lower your legs back to the starting position in a slow and controlled manner to resist gravity.
Maintain a steady rhythm and avoid using momentum to swing into the next repetition.

Common Mistakes

Using momentum or swinging the body to lift the legs
Arching the lower back excessively at the bottom of the movement
Relying solely on hip flexors instead of engaging the abdominal wall
Bending the knees significantly when the goal is a straight leg raise

Muscles Worked

Primary movers

Stabilizers

Obliques
Hip Flexors
Forearms
Lats

Related Guides

3008 Abdominal Crunch — Core
Ab Roller — Core
Ab wheel — Core

Abs · Core