The hanging leg raise is a demanding core move done from a bar hang — you raise your legs against gravity while fighting the swing. Here's how to do it with good form, the muscles it works, the mistakes to avoid, and how to program it.
The hanging leg raise is a dynamic core exercise that primarily works the rectus abdominis (especially the lower abs) and the hip flexors, with the obliques, grip and lats stabilizing you on the bar. You hang from a pull-up bar and raise your legs — bent or straight — curling the pelvis toward your ribs, then lower under control. It's one of the most effective bodyweight ways to train the lower abs, and you can scale it from tucked knees up to straight-leg raises as you get stronger.
The hanging leg raise trains the front of the core through movement, with the hip flexors doing a big share of the leg lift. The obliques, grip and lats work to keep you stable and stop the swing on the bar.
| Role | Muscles | What they do in the lift |
|---|---|---|
| Primary mover | Rectus abdominis | Curls the pelvis up toward the ribs at the top |
| Assisting | Hip flexors | Drive the thighs up from the hang |
| Assisting | Obliques | Keep the legs tracking straight and resist twisting |
| Stabilizers | Grip, forearms, lats | Hold you on the bar and control the swing |
Step-by-step form. If you can't yet control straight legs, start with knees bent and progress from there.
If you want to train the same pattern with a different difficulty or setup, these are the common swaps:
The hanging leg raise works well early in a core block while you're fresh, or on pull and full-body days. General starting points:
| Goal | Sets × reps | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core strength | 3–4 × 6–10 | Straight legs or added load, slow controlled tempo, no swing |
| Muscle / volume | 3 × 10–15 | Bent or straight legs, full range, curl the pelvis each rep |
| Frequency | 2–3× / week | Progress from bent to straight legs, then add a dumbbell between the feet |
Training the abs builds the muscle, but visible abs also depend on your body-fat level and nutrition — abs are built in the kitchen too. See nutrition for lifting and cutting for that side of it.
Log every set of hanging leg raises — reps and any added weight — in LiftHero, and it charts your progression so you can see your reps climbing or your load going up over the weeks. Add rest-timer holds between sets, superset it with another core move, and save it into a routine so it's ready the next time you train. LiftHero records what you log; it doesn't diagnose your form.
It mainly works the rectus abdominis, especially the lower portion, along with the hip flexors that drive the legs up. The obliques, grip and lats also work to keep you stable on the bar.
Bent legs are the easier regression and a good place to start. Straight legs make the lever longer and harder. Progress from bent knees to straight legs as your strength and control improve.
Swinging usually comes from momentum and not bracing. Pull your shoulders down, brace your core before each rep, lower slowly, and pause briefly at the bottom to kill any swing.
They build and strengthen the abdominal muscles, but whether abs are visible also depends on body-fat level and nutrition — abs are built in the kitchen too. Training the muscle and managing body fat both matter.
Most lifters do about 3 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps. If you can rep out cleanly, slow the tempo, go from bent to straight legs, or add a light dumbbell between the feet.
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This guide is educational and not medical advice. Consult a qualified coach or medical professional before starting or changing a training program.
By Meitar Lazimi, founder of LiftHero · Last updated July 9, 2026.