Hanging Leg Raises
Want to develop a strong core and impressive abdominal muscles? Hanging Leg Raises are an excellent choice. This exercise is unique because it not only trains your abdominal muscles, but also improves your grip strength and hip flexibility.
Execution
-
1
Begin by hanging from a pull-up bar with your hands shoulder-width apart. Make sure you are hanging fully with your feet off the ground.
-
2
Engage your core and keep your legs together.
-
3
Raise your legs until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso. Make sure you do this by flexing your hips rather than arching your back.
-
4
Slowly and under control, lower your legs back to the starting position.
-
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Benefits
- Strengthens the core and improves stability.
- Improves grip strength.
- Helps develop a tight, defined abdomen.
- May help improve hip flexibility.
Common Mistakes
- ! Bending the back instead of the hips.
- ! Lowering the legs too quickly, resulting in a loss of control.
- ! Not fully extending in the starting position.
Primary Muscles
The primary muscle groups trained with Hanging Leg Raises are the rectus abdominis (your "six-pack" muscles) and the obliques (side abdominal muscles). Your hip flexors and, to a lesser extent, your shoulders and forearms are also trained while hanging.
Possible Alternatives
If you want to adjust the intensity of the exercise, you can try variations such as:
- Knee Raises for beginners or if you do not yet have the strength for full Leg Raises.
- Toe Touches by lifting your legs even higher toward the bar for an extra challenge.
- Using a weight between your feet for additional resistance if you are more advanced.
Run your fitness business with more structure
- Planning, member management and coaching in one platform
- Built for coaches, studios and gyms
- Fewer separate tools, more overview
