Swinging for momentum
Pause in the dead hang and lower slowly so each rep starts from stillness.
Isolation · Pull-up bar
Hanging Leg Raise
Hanging from a pull-up bar and raising your legs by curling the pelvis up. It trains the lower abs and hip flexors and also demands grip strength. Best for intermediate lifters; beginners can start with knee raises.
- Primary
- Abs
- Starting rep range
- 10–20 reps
- Target effort
- 1 reps in reserve
- Progression
- Add reps, then difficulty
Muscles worked
The hip flexors lift the legs, but the abs do the real work when you curl the pelvis up and tilt it back. Without that posterior tilt it becomes mostly a hip flexor exercise.
How to set up
- Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
- Pull your shoulders slightly down so you are not hanging limply.
- Let your legs hang straight and still.
- Brace your abs to stop the body from swinging.
How to do each rep
- Raise your legs while curling your pelvis up toward your ribs.
- Lift until legs are at least parallel, or higher to bring the hips up.
- Lower slowly over two to three seconds without swinging.
- Reset any swing before the next rep.
Common hanging leg raise mistakes
Lifting legs without curling the pelvis
Think about tucking your tailbone up toward the bar at the top.
Grip giving out first
Use straps or ab slings so the abs, not the hands, limit the set.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the hanging leg raise at 10–20 reps with about 1 reps in reserve. As an isolation exercise it fits well after your main compound lifts.
Start with bent-knee raises and move to straight legs once you can do 10-15 controlled reps. Later progress to toes-to-bar or add a light dumbbell between the feet.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Hanging Leg Raise alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Programs that use it
Questions
Do hanging leg raises work lower abs?
They emphasize the lower part of the rectus abdominis when you curl the pelvis up. The whole muscle contracts, but the bottom-up movement shifts the feel lower.
Hanging leg raise vs. knee raise?
Knee raises are easier because the lever is shorter. Use them to build up, then move to straight-leg raises for more challenge.