The hanging leg hip raise is a bodyweight exercise that targets the abdominal muscles by requiring you to hang from a pullup bar and lift your legs, engaging your core and hip flexors.
Also Works
Hip FlexorsLower Back
How to Perform
1
Hang from a pullup bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
2
Engage your core and lift your legs up by flexing your hips and knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
3
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
4
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Start from a dead hang and lift your thighs to at least parallel by flexing at the hips.
•At the top, tilt your pelvis upward (posterior tilt) to engage the lower abs beyond what hip flexors alone provide.
•Lower your legs under control for a 3-second eccentric to maximize core time under tension.
Common Mistakes
•Only lifting the knees without tilting the pelvis, which works the hip flexors but not the abs effectively.
•Using momentum to swing the legs up, which reduces abdominal activation.
•Losing grip strength before the abs are fatigued; use straps if grip is the limiting factor.