Hanging Leg Raises

Hang from a pull-up bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip and your legs straight. Raise your legs by flexing at the hips until they are parallel to the floor or higher. Lower them back down with control, avoiding swinging.

Pro Tips

• Initiate the movement from your abs, not by swinging your legs
• Bend your knees slightly if the straight-leg version is too difficult
• Pause at the top for a one-count to eliminate momentum

Muscles worked

Primary: Rectus abdominis (lower fibres) and hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris) — both are required to raise the legs toward the torso. The hanging position prevents any leg support, making the ab and hip flexor demand significantly higher than floor-based leg raises.

Supporting: Core stabilisers (transverse abdominis, obliques — stabilising the torso against rotation while hanging), grip and forearms (supporting the body weight throughout the hang), shoulder and lat muscles (maintaining the hanging position without dropping).

Common mistakes

Swinging to gain momentum: Using a swing to get the legs up shifts the work from the abs and hip flexors to the momentum of the swing. Every rep should start from a dead stop — controlled, no swing, initiated by the abs engaging before the legs move.

Letting the legs drop: The eccentric (lowering) phase is where significant abdominal and hip flexor stimulus occurs. Dropping the legs rather than lowering them eliminates this half of the exercise. Lower with control over 2–3 seconds.

Only training to 90 degrees: Stopping the leg raise at horizontal (parallel to the floor) is the most common partial range. Continuing above horizontal — toward the bar or the chest — significantly increases the upper ab and hip flexor demand and is achievable as strength develops.

Ignoring posterior pelvic tilt: The lower abs contract more forcefully when the pelvis is posteriorly tilted at the top (lower back rounding toward the legs rather than arching away from them). Consciously curl the pelvis upward at the top of each rep for maximum lower ab engagement.

Programming notes

Hanging leg raises are one of the most demanding core exercises because the hanging position removes all support, requiring both grip endurance and continuous core engagement throughout. They are appropriate for intermediate and advanced trainees who have already built a base of core strength through floor exercises and planks.

Typical programming: 3–4 sets of 8–15 repetitions. Progress by first mastering bent-knee raises (knees curled to the chest), then straight-leg raises to 90 degrees, then to the bar (L-sit and beyond) as strength allows.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use a straight-leg or bent-knee hanging leg raise?

Both are valid — the difference is difficulty and where you are in your training. Bent-knee raises shorten the lever arm, reducing the moment of force on the hip flexors and abs, making them a sound starting point if you cannot yet do straight-leg reps without swinging. Once you can perform 3 sets of 12 controlled bent-knee raises, progress to straight legs. Either way, the form cues remain identical: initiate from the abs, no swing, controlled eccentric.

Why do my hip flexors fatigue before my abs during hanging leg raises?

The hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris) are the primary movers in this exercise, and they will often reach failure before the abs do, especially early in training. This is normal, not a sign that the exercise is “wrong” for you. As hip flexor endurance improves with consistent training, you will feel the abs working harder because you can sustain longer sets. If hip flexor fatigue is limiting you severely from the first rep, regress to bent-knee raises or floor leg raises to build a base.

How often should I programme hanging leg raises each week?

Core musculature recovers relatively quickly compared to large compound muscle groups. Two to three sessions per week is appropriate for most trainees — for example, added to the end of push, pull, and leg days. If you are performing them alongside heavy spinal loading (deadlifts, squats, good mornings), place them after the compound work so core fatigue does not compromise your main lifts. Increase frequency only when your sets are fully controlled with no swing and you feel ready for additional volume.