Hanging Leg Hip Raise
The hanging leg raise is one of the most challenging and effective lower-ab exercises, building serious core strength for anyone who can hang and control their body weight.
Equipment
Bodyweight (pull-up bar)
Difficulty
beginner
Sets & reps
3 sets · 8-12 reps
Muscles worked
Lower abs, Hip flexors, Grip
An advanced core exercise performed hanging from a bar, raising the legs and hips to train the lower abs and hip flexors.
How to do it
- Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended.
- Keep a slight bend in your knees and brace your core.
- Raise your legs and hips up toward your chest, curling your pelvis.
- Pause briefly at the top, then lower back down under control.
- Avoid swinging your body to generate momentum.
Coaching tips
- Focus on curling your pelvis upward, not just swinging your legs, to fully engage the lower abs.
- Use straps if grip strength is the limiting factor before your core is.
- Slow, controlled reps are far more effective than fast, swinging ones.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the whole body to generate momentum instead of using the abs.
- Only raising the legs slightly instead of curling the hips upward.
Frequently asked questions
What if I can't do a full hanging leg raise yet?
Start with bent-knee raises or a captain's chair machine to build strength before progressing to straight-leg hanging raises.
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