Exercise · form guide
Hanging Leg Raise
- Primary muscle
- Lower Abs
- Also works
- Hip Flexors, Obliques
- Equipment
- Pull-Up Bar
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
Tempo
2-1-2-1
Don't swing. The moment you swing, you've stopped training abs and started training momentum.
Sets & reps
General programming defaults by goal — not specific to this lift. Pick the row that matches yours.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | RPE | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4–6 | 3–5 | 8–9 | 3–5 min |
| Hypertrophy | 3–5 | 8–12 | 7–9 | 90–120 s |
| Endurance | 2–4 | 15–25 | 6–8 | 45–60 s |
Form
Cues
- Hang fully from bar, neutral grip
- Tuck pelvis (PPT) before lifting
- Raise legs to 90° (or higher)
- Slow controlled descent
Common mistakes
- Swinging body for momentum
- Using only hip flexors — no PPT
Injury notes
Safe for healthy backs. PPT is critical to load abs vs hip flexors.
Progression
Knees tucked → straight legs → toes-to-bar → weighted.
Indian gym reality
Standard equipment, available in most Indian gyms. Focus on form quality over load.
If your gym doesn't have this equipment
- Zero-equipment variant works — see the home version below.
Home & hostel version
Bodyweight variants of this movement pattern exist — search the pattern name (squat, hinge, press, pull) plus 'bodyweight' and pick the version that matches your current strength.
Nutrition & recovery around this lift
Isolations recover fast — 24 hours is usually enough. You can hit the same muscle again the next day with a different exercise. For an Indian lifter, land 30–40g of protein within 90 minutes of finishing — 200g paneer, 4 whole eggs, 150g chicken, or a whey shake all work.
Frequently asked
What muscles does Hanging Leg Raise work?
Primarily Lower Abs · Hip Flexors · Obliques. Load and rep range shift the emphasis — heavy triples bias the primary mover, sets of 12+ bring more of the secondaries in.
How many sets of Hanging Leg Raise per week?
For hypertrophy, 10–20 direct working sets per week across all exercises for that muscle. This exercise usually contributes 3–8 of those sets, depending on where it sits in your program.
What if I'm training at home in India?
See the home & hostel version above. Bodyweight variants of every major pattern exist and progress for months if you're intentional about it.
How often should I do Hanging Leg Raise?
Most intermediates do best with 2× per week frequency on any given lift — one heavier session and one lighter, or two matched sessions with different rep ranges. Beginners can add a third if recovery holds up.
Get Hanging Leg Raise programmed for you
bodyBot builds your split with the right sets, reps and progression for your goal.