Exercise guide

Hanging knee raise: muscles worked and how to do it

The hanging knee raise hangs from a bar and lifts your knees up toward your chest by curling your pelvis, without swinging. GymTribe's library lists it as Hanging Knee Raise, with the lower abs as its target muscle.

Illustration of a hanging knee raise, showing the start and end positions

How to do a hanging knee raise

Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, arms straight and legs together.
Pull your shoulders down slightly and brace to stop any swing.
Lift your knees toward your chest, curling your hips up at the top.
Pause for a moment with your knees high.
Lower your legs under control until they hang straight again.

These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.

Common hanging knee raise mistakes

Swinging
Pause at the bottom of each rep and let any swing settle before the next one.
Lifting the knees only to hip height
Curl your pelvis up at the top so your abs, not just your hip flexors, do the work.
Dropping the legs
Lower them slowly.
Grip giving out first
Use straps or ab slings, or try the captain's chair version.

How to track your hanging knee raise

Log the reps of every set. Over a few weeks, your most reps in one set and in one session show whether you are getting stronger. When you add weight, log it with the reps.

What GymTribe charts for Hanging Knee Raise

Most reps in one set
Max session reps across a workout
Heaviest weight once you add load
Estimated 1RM once you add load

Strength tracking in GymTribe →

Hanging knee raise questions

What muscles do hanging knee raises work?

Mostly the lower part of the abs, with the hip flexors lifting your legs and the obliques helping. Your forearms hold you on the bar. In GymTribe's muscle map, each set of Hanging Knee Raise counts toward the lower abs.

Knee raise or leg raise?

Straight legs make the lever longer, so a hanging leg raise is harder. Bent knees are a good place to start.

What if I can't hang from a bar?

The captain's chair supports your forearms instead. GymTribe lists Captain-chair Knee Raise as its own exercise, also counted toward the lower abs.

How do I track my hanging knee raise in GymTribe?

Log each set's reps under Hanging Knee Raise. Every session adds a point to its charts, including most reps in one set and max reps in a session, and a New PR alert appears when a set beats your rep record. If you add weight, log it too, and the heaviest weight and estimated 1RM charts fill in.

More lower abs exercises in GymTribe

GymTribe counts these toward the lower abs too. The ones with a guide are linked.

Reverse Crunch
Hanging Straight-Leg Raise
Captain-chair Knee Raise
V-up
Jackknife
Flutter Kicks
Scissor Kicks
Lying Leg Raise

More core guides

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