Hanging from a bar, you raise your legs to work the abdominal muscles.
- +Targets lower abs effectively
- +Enhances grip strength
- +No additional equipment required
- –Can be tough on the shoulders and grip
- –Not suitable for beginners
- –Risk of lower back strain if done incorrectly
This exercise targets:
Core
Abs
Obliques
Hamstrings
Adductors
Ratios are approximate and can vary depending on form and technique.
How to perform
- Grip a pull-up bar and hang with arms straight, shoulders slightly engaged (not shrugging)
- Brace your core and tuck your pelvis slightly to flatten your lower back
- Keep your body still; no swinging
- Raise your legs together in front of you; bend knees for easier, straight legs for harder
- Lift to at least hip height (ideally to parallel or higher), exhaling as you lift
- Pause briefly at the top without leaning back
- Lower your legs slowly and under control, inhaling, back to a dead hang
- Common fixes: avoid momentum, don’t arch your lower back, and keep reps smooth