Move · Videos · Technique · 8 min

Hanging Leg Raise: Seven Progressions From Floor to Full Raise

Hanging Leg Raise: Seven Progressions From Floor to Full Raise — video by Zack Henderson Play · 7:48

Video by Zack Henderson on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A strength coach builds up to the strict hanging leg raise, an advanced move, in seven steps: floor leg raises holding a low bar, L-sits on a chair, hanging knee raises, weighted knee raises, frog raises, L-raises and slow negatives, with grip-free options on a captain's chair or dip bars.

  • 8 min
  • Advanced
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • pull-up bar, chair
Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 6

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Technique: hang in a tight hollow-body shape, breathe out as you fold up pushing the hands forward, lower slowly. 1:09
  2. Floor leg raises holding a low bar, lowering slowly, then L-sit holds pushing down on the edge of a chair. 2:39
  3. Hanging knee raises: tuck the knees up as far as you can control, lats engaged; then add weight at the feet. 3:52
  4. Frog raises, knees up then legs straight on the way down, then hanging L-raises to parallel with a pause. 4:40
  5. Slow negatives: tuck up and reach the feet to the bar, pause, then lower the straight legs slowly. 5:33
  6. No grip needed: use a captain's chair or dip bars; train 3 to 8 good reps for 3 to 5 sets. 6:07

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Hang in a tight hollow-body shape with glutes and lats engaged so you don't swing
  • Breathe out as you fold up, pushing your hands forward and letting your pelvis curl up
  • Lower slowly under control and keep sets to three to eight good reps

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 3 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadhanging from the bar, L-sit on a chair
  • Wrists & hands takes loadgrip in hangs, pushing down in the L-sit
  • Hips takes loadlifting the legs: knee, frog and L-raises
  • Elbows movesstraight-arm hang and L-sit
  • Lower back movespelvis curls up as the low back rounds
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.

Easier option from the coach: Floor leg raises, chair L-sit and knee raises; captain's chair or straps spare the grip

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Zack Henderson; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety