Exercise guide · Core & Abs

Hanging Leg Raise

Hanging leg raises train your lower abs and hip flexors by lifting your legs while suspended from a pull-up bar. Control swing, keep your shoulders active, and raise your legs without rocking your torso.

Targets: Core
Equipment: Bodyweight
Type: Isolation

Step by step

How to do the Hanging Leg Raise

Grip a pull-up bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Hang with your arms extended and your shoulders engaged—not fully relaxed in the sockets.
Brace your core and lightly squeeze your glutes to limit swinging before you start.
Keeping your legs together and mostly straight (or bend your knees for an easier variation), raise your legs in front of you until your thighs reach about parallel to the floor or higher if mobility allows.
Pause briefly at the top without letting your shoulders shrug up toward your ears.
Lower your legs under control to the start without uncontrolled swinging between reps.
Step down safely from the bar or use a box to dismount when finished.

Form cues

Depress your shoulders—pull your shoulder blades down your back
Use a slight posterior pelvic tilt at the top to feel your lower abs
Control swing; a smaller range beats kipping
Exhale on the way up

Common mistakes

Using momentum and kipping your legs up
Swinging your torso back and forth like a swing set
Dropping your legs fast and losing shoulder engagement
Shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears at the top

Muscles worked

Primary

Core

Secondary

None significant

Safety: Use bent-knee raises if straight-leg hanging is too demanding. Stop if you feel sharp shoulder or grip pain—build hanging endurance first.

Alternatives

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