- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Reps6 to 20 reps
- Joint loadShoulder
Hang from a pull-up bar with straight arms and your legs together.
First cueCurl the pelvis up at the top.
How to do the Hanging Leg Raise
Set up. Hang from a pull-up bar with straight arms and your legs together.
- Brace and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them as straight as you can.
- Raise them to at least hip height, tilting the pelvis up at the top.
- Lower slowly without swinging.
Form cues
- Curl the pelvis up at the top.
- Keep the body still.
- Bend the knees to make it easier.
Common mistakes
- Swinging to get the legs up.
- Dropping the legs quickly.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Forearms and Obliques.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Hanging Leg Raise, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Russian Twist Often left out: it trains the obliques, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Hanging Leg Raise first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Russian Twist 3 × 12 to 30 reps
- Crunch 3 × 10 to 30 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Captain’s Chair Knee Raise
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Reverse Crunch
The Hanging Leg Raise loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Reverse Crunch, Hanging Knee Raise and Captain’s Chair Knee Raise.
Do before it: Dead Bug (bracing), Hollow Hold (same movement, lighter) and Hanging Knee Raise (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Hanging Leg Raise is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Hanging Leg Raise?
Set up: Hang from a pull-up bar with straight arms and your legs together. Steps: 1. Brace and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them as straight as you can. 2. Raise them to at least hip height, tilting the pelvis up at the top. 3. Lower slowly without swinging. Form cues: Curl the pelvis up at the top. Keep the body still. Bend the knees to make it easier. Common mistakes: Swinging to get the legs up. Dropping the legs quickly.
What muscles does the Hanging Leg Raise work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the forearms and obliques on the way.
What can I do instead of the Hanging Leg Raise?
In a gym: Captain’s Chair Knee Raise. With less load on the shoulder: Reverse Crunch. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Hanging Leg Raise with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Russian Twist.