- Hang with active shoulders, then settle any swing before you start.
- Lift your knees and curl your pelvis up, as if tipping your hips towards your chest.
- Lower slowly; the way down is half the exercise.
- Grip often gives out first, so it doubles as grip training.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Trains
- Rectus abdominis, Obliques, Hip flexors, Forearms and grip, Lats
- Kit
- Pull-up bar
What the hanging knee raise trains and why it is worth doing
The movement works your hip flexors to lift your legs and your abs (rectus abdominis and obliques) to curl your pelvis upwards. Your lats, shoulders and forearms work hard to keep you hanging still. It trains your abs through a bigger range and against more load than most floor exercises.
It also builds grip strength and gets you comfortable hanging from a bar, both useful stepping stones towards your first pull-up.
How to do a hanging knee raise
- Grip a pull-up bar overhand, hands about shoulder-width apart, and hang with your arms straight.
- Pull your shoulders down slightly away from your ears so you are hanging actively rather than slumped.
- Squeeze your legs together, brace, and let any swing settle before you start.
- Lift your knees towards your chest, and as they pass hip height, curl your pelvis up so your tailbone tips forwards.
- Pause briefly at the top.
- Lower your legs slowly over 2 to 3 seconds until they are straight beneath you, without letting your body swing back.
Common mistakes
- Swinging. Using momentum turns the exercise into a pendulum. Pause at the bottom of each rep to kill the swing.
- Stopping at hip height. Lifting your knees to 90 degrees and no further works mainly the hip flexors. Curl the pelvis to bring your abs in.
- Dropping the legs. A fast descent wastes half the rep and starts the swing again.
- Passive hang. Hanging with shrugged, slumped shoulders is uncomfortable for many people and gives you less control.
- Holding your breath. Breathe out as you lift.
Easier and harder versions
If you cannot hang for long yet, do knee raises on a captain's chair or between parallel bars, where your forearms take your weight, or do lying reverse crunches on the floor. If grip is what stops you, use straps and build your hang time separately.
To make it harder:
- Straighten your legs for a hanging leg raise.
- Lift higher, bringing your knees to your elbows or your toes to the bar.
- Hold a light dumbbell between your feet or wear ankle weights.
- Add a 2 second pause at the top.
How to programme the hanging knee raise
Do 3 sets of 8 to 15 slow, controlled reps, two or three times a week. It fits at the end of an upper-body or pulling session, or in a core circuit. Pair it with an anti-extension exercise such as the ab wheel rollout for balanced trunk training.
If hanging aggravates your shoulders, switch to the supported version and have it looked at; shoulder impingement is a common reason overhead positions feel uncomfortable.
Lycan Strength has a long rig, and every class is scalable, so there is always a version of this you can do. A 7-day free trial is the easiest way to find yours.
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Questions
Are hanging knee raises better than crunches?
They train the abs through a larger range with more load, so they are generally harder and more useful once you have the grip and control. Crunches are still a fine starting point.
Why do I feel hanging knee raises in my hip flexors?
Because your hip flexors lift your legs, they will always work. To bring your abs in more, curl your pelvis up at the top rather than just raising your knees.
General guidance for healthy adults. If you have a medical condition, injury or are pregnant, check with a health professional before changing your training or diet.
