Just for the record, we're not here to put planks down. Quite the opposite. They're one of the best core exercises you can do. In fact, during a recent assessment, I held a two-minute plank and scored 'excellent' for core endurance, an important marker of spinal health, balance and reducing your risk of injury as we age.
But once I'd ticked that box, it got me thinking: what next? If you want to keep challenging your core while also improving grip strength, shoulder stability and body control, hanging leg raises are hard to beat.
Unlike planks, hanging leg raises challenge your entire body. Simply hanging from the bar demands grip and forearm strength, shoulder stability and upper-back engagement - and that's before you've even lifted your legs.
Then, as you raise your knees towards your chest, your core has to contract dynamically through a full range of motion, making it one of the most demanding bodyweight exercises you can do.
Why hanging leg raises work
The hanging leg raise is far more than just another core exercise to add to your workout. Unlike floor-based ab exercises, it forces your core to work against gravity as you lift your legs, creating significant tension throughout your midsection while also challenging your grip, shoulders, and upper back.
Because you're hanging from a bar, your body has to stabilise from the moment your feet leave the floor. Your abs are coordinating with your hip flexors, lats and shoulders to keep your body under control throughout every rep.
It's this full-body demand that makes hanging leg raises such an effective exercise for building unbelievable core strength.
The sensation is another benefit: simply hanging from the bar feels incredibly satisfying, giving your shoulders, upper back and spine a chance to decompress and lengthen. While that's no substitute for mobility work, it's one of the reasons this exercise feels so good to perform.
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How to do the hanging leg raise
- Grip a pull-up bar with your palms facing away from you and your hands roughly shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your feet off the floor and allow your body to hang with your arms fully extended. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears, brace your core and squeeze your glutes to create tension through your body.
- Keeping your upper body as still as possible, slowly raise your knees towards your chest by curling your pelvis underneath you. Pause briefly at the top, then lower your legs with control until you return to the starting position. Repeat.
Top tip: Don't use momentum to swing your legs up. Instead, move slowly and with control, bringing your knees towards your chest while deliberately curling your pelvis underneath you. Think about rolling your hips up rather than simply lifting your legs. This keeps the tension on your abs and makes every rep far more effective.
Progression and alternatives to try
When adding hanging leg raises to your workouts, start with three sets of 5-10 controlled reps. The goal is to brace your entire core, keep your body as still as possible and slowly curl your knees towards your chest.
Done properly, this core exercise develops core strength, body control and the kind of functional fitness that carries over into everything from pull-ups, deadlifts and squats to everyday movement.
If you're swinging around like you're back on the school monkey bars, start by mastering the dead hang instead. Building your grip strength and shoulder stability first will make hanging leg raises far more controlled and much more effective.
To do, hang as still as possible for 20–30 seconds before progressing to an active hang, where you pull your shoulders down slightly by setting your scapulae, engage your upper back and gently tilt your pelvis underneath you.
Aim to hold this position and keep as still as possible for 20–30 seconds. Once you can control both positions, start introducing the knee raise.
It's important not to rush toward the hardest variation, no matter how tempting it might be. As with anything worth doing, mastering each stage first will give you the best results and help build a bulletproof core.
