Hanging Knee Raise

advanced · core_flexion

Setup

Hang from the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip and your thumbs wrapped around. Put a low box underneath so you can step on and off instead of jumping.

Execution

Set your shoulder blades down away from your ears to give the shoulders a base, with your legs together.
Brace your belly and stop the body swinging before the first rep.
Exhale and draw both knees toward your chest, letting the pelvis curl up a little at the end.
Pause for one beat at the top with the thighs above hip height.
Inhale and lower over 3 seconds without letting the body swing.
At the end of the set put your feet on the box before you let go of the bar.

Breathing

Exhale as the knees come up, inhale as they go down. Steady breathing is what stops you using the breath for momentum. If you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or are pregnant, never hold your breath here: hanging your whole bodyweight from your arms and bracing hard already drives abdominal and chest pressure up.

Quick cues

Blades down before the knees rise.
Thighs above hip height.
Three seconds down, no swing.
Step onto the box, do not jump.
Curl the pelvis at the finish.

Common faults

Fault: Swinging the whole body to throw the legs up
Fix: Come to a dead stop between reps until the body is still, and halve the rep count.
Fault: Only lifting to hip height and then dropping back
Fix: Bring the thighs above hip height with a small pelvic curl, and build up with the hollow body hold first.
Fault: The shoulders jammed up by the ears for the whole set
Fix: Start every rep by drawing the blades down and keeping a gap between shoulder and ear.
Fault: Letting go and dropping to the floor when the grip fails
Fix: End the set while the grip is still solid and step down onto the box you set up.

Equipment

pull_up_bar

Muscle groups

core, arms