The hanging leg raise hangs from a pull-up bar and raises the legs (bent or straight) in front of you. It is one of the best ab exercises because the hanging position adds grip demand and prevents cheating with momentum.
Muscle Group
Abs, Forearms, Hip Flexors
Equipment Required
Bodyweight
Type
Strength
Equipment
Pull-up Bar
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- One of the best ab exercises
- Hanging prevents cheating
- Builds grip alongside abs
- Scalable by leg position (bent vs straight)
- Progressive toward toes-to-bar
- Develops hanging core control
How to perform
- Hang from a pull-up bar with arms extended. Overhand grip.
- Raise your legs in front of you — bent knees (easier) or straight legs (harder).
- Lift to at least horizontal.
- Lower under control. Do not swing.
- Add a hip curl at the top for maximum lower ab activation.
- If swinging occurs, use shorter range or bent knees.
- Aim for 10 to 15 reps.
- Builds grip alongside ab strength.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Hip Flexors
Primary
Abs
Primary
Obliques
Primary