Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBodyweight
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePull
- Experience LevelAdvanced
- Secondary Muscles
Forearms
Target Muscle Group
Abs
Hanging Leg Raise Overview
The hanging leg raise is a challenging core exercise performed by hanging from a pull-up bar and lifting your legs straight up in front of you.
It primarily targets the lower abdominal muscles while also working the hip flexors, obliques, and stabilizing muscles in the shoulders and forearms due to the grip and hang position. T
This exercise is excellent for developing core strength and definition, especially in the lower abs, and it also helps improve core stability, grip strength, and body control, making it beneficial for athletes and anyone working on calisthenics or gymnastics-style movements.
Because of its difficulty, beginners can start with hanging knee raises and progress to straight-leg versions as their strength improves.
Hanging Leg Raise Instructions
- Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing forward (overhand grip) and arms shoulder-width apart. Hang with your arms fully extended and feet off the ground.
- Engage your abdominal muscles to stabilize your body and minimize swinging. This is the starting position.
- Slowly raise your legs in front of you until they’re about hip or chest height. Keep the movement controlled.
- Hold for a second, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position without swinging.
- Repeat for desired reps.
Hanging Leg Raise Tips
- Keep your body as still as possible. Use slow, controlled movements to prevent using momentum.
- Tighten your abs before lifting your legs to protect your lower back and get the most out of the exercise.
- Exhale as you lift your legs, and inhale as you lower them.
- Bring your legs as high as you can without bending your knees or arching your back.
33 Comments
Could I use a piece of equipment at the gym that has half a bosu ball and a place for your elbows to support you instead of hanging from a pull up bar?
I see no issues with this, Maggie. Go for it!
I may have to build up to the hanging leg raises. Is there an easier version or alternative to start out with? Or is raising my legs as high as I can ok to start with?
Hi Gerry, you could start with lying leg raises on a bench. Train to the point that you can easily do sets of the rep range you can do with the hanging version. Then, start working on hanging leg raises by working as high as you can as you suggested.
I have love handles. What exercise would you recommend?
Hi Ann, I could recommend all the exercises in the world, but diet is what is going to ultimately work on your love handles. Oblique exercises like twisted crunches will train the muscles, but the nutrition is what is going to help you get leaner.
Is this exercise enough to build huge muscles I see we are targeting each group only once per week and in another article you recommended to train each muscle group twice a week
There are many articles to help as many people as possible. This one alone isn't enough. You need a full program. How experienced are you with training?
Do you have an alternative exercice? Too hard for me.
Hey Phil, perform lying leg raises on the floor. Your back will be supported, and it will be easier to focus on the abs.
I can do these perfectly fine with out swinging very control my only issue is on the way going down. I hear my knee pop how can I avoid this
Hey Johnny - this could be a mobility issue in your lower body. Does the pop hurt?
Hi Abigail
It does not hurt when it pops.
My legs seem to get tired before my abs do with this exercise. How do I isolate my abs better. I don’t believe I am swinging at all.
Hi Corey,
Try Floor leg raises. You might be able to get a better connection with your abs from a lying position.
I totally agree!
What would be a good place to start if I can't lift my legs yet... Except to pull my knees in? I'd like to work up to this, but am not even close yet.
Instead of the full leg raise, do knee raises. When you feel comfortable doing them, try to do some leg raises at the start of each set. Eventually progress until you can do them for the whole workout.
Is it ok to use straps or hooks to assist grip?
Hi Alan,
If need be, yes.
Hope this helps!
How many times it need to do (rep)? and how many times in a week?
I love to incorporate this slow and controlled movement while huddled in the squat rack doing lower weight higher intensity squats or varied cleans with push presses. Awesome ab work
I am 62, can I be successful with this
no
Hey, I'm 74 and I do this program regularly. Successful is not surrendering to age or what others may tell you. I say go for it!
Yes you can do it. Everything it's possibble
Hi, I am karthik from tamilnadu, india. sir age is not matter work hard result will automatically comes one day. age is numbers only. so don't worry about age. work.....
7 weeks ago I injured my lower back doing squats. My Dr thought it was probably a herniated disc but didn't send me for an MRI right away, wanted me to do physical therapy first. My PT said that my symptoms and range of motion, plus only the localized pain, was more like a servers strain and not so much a herniation. Anyway, I started back to the gym this week doing light weights to get the body back into the groove and get the soreness week out of the way. This workout plan looks like a great thing to restart my lifting again after 7 weeks off. Prior to the injury I was lifting for the last year and a half.
I know the importance of squats and deadlifts and such. I'm just really scared of the squat rack at this time. Well I should say I'm really scared to put much pressure on my lower back since without the MRI, I'm not sure which injury I really have. Should I just keep doing basic lifting exercises for a few more weeks before I start this program up to give more healing time? How do I get over the mental part to get back into squats and deadlifts again, that's if my back will even let me? Thanks for reading my novel.
Get the injury checked out properly. A PT should be telling you this not giving opinions well outside of there level of qualification and expertise. Spend the time and money to prioritize your health then get back to training when you can make proper informed decisions about what is safe.
What would a replacement exercise be??
this is by far the best ab workout i tried, try doing it as slow as possible and don't swing neither your legs nor your torso to get the most benefit out of it.
Being in the military and I'm always telling my Airmen to work weighed abs, as they use weights for every other muscle. I love weighed leg raises, although I prefer gym equipment like the "power tower" so I don't have to hang, as I have bad shoulders. The power tower also assists in keeping the torso from moving.
I'm 49, balancing my diet, increasing cardio and peforming this overall ab routine has created the definition I was seeking. THX