12 Killer Hanging Leg Raise Alternatives You Need To Try

This post contains the 12 best alternatives to the hanging leg raise exercise.

The hanging leg raise is one of the most popular calisthenics-style exercises for strengthening the core.

It is extremely effective in targeting the rectus abdominis muscles (more commonly known as the abs), external obliques, as well as the hip flexors and requires very minimal equipment such as a pull-up bar to perform. 

Therefore, it is no surprise that the hanging leg raise is a staple in many individuals’ weekly workout routines, whatever their unique fitness goals may be!

However, sometimes you simply may not have access to a pull-up bar. Or if you’re a beginner, perhaps you find this movement a little difficult to perform.

This is where you may need to find a suitable alternative to the hanging leg raise exercise. 

In this post I’ve included 12 killer alternatives to hanging leg raises that will guarantee to leave your core burning by the end of the session.

Within this list, you’ll also find beginner-friendly exercises appropriate for those at the start of their fitness journey.

Let’s go take a look!

We must first examine which muscles are primarily targeted to understand the best alternatives for the hanging leg raise exercise.

Hanging leg raises mostly engage the rectus abdominis and hip flexors to result in the lifting of the legs.

This means we should look to perform exercises that involve a similar movement pattern and that target these muscles to consider them as suitable hanging leg raise alternative exercises.

1. Lying Leg Raises

These are a great beginner exercise that will help you progress to hanging leg raises if you cannot perform them already.

Make sure that your back stays pressed firmly into the ground to avoid any unnecessary strain while completing this movement.

How to perform lying leg raises:

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and hands by your sides.
2. Engage your core and lift your legs toward the ceiling, keeping them straight.
3. Slowly lower your legs back down without letting them touch the floor.
4. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

2. Reverse Crunches

Another great hanging leg raise alternative for beginners, is the reverse crunch.

This exercise is similar to lying leg raises, except your knees are bent and you can curl your hips off the floor at the top of the movement.

How to perform reverse crunches:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent at 90 degrees and feet off the floor.
2. Press your lower back into the ground and engage your core.
3. Curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest.
4. Lower back down with control and repeat.

3. V-Ups

V-ups are slightly more advanced work since this requires you to lift both your upper and lower body simultaneously!

Improving your hamstring flexibility will also help you keep your legs straighter, making the ‘V’ shape more evident over time.

How to perform v-ups:

1. Lie flat with arms extended overhead and legs straight.
2. Engage your core and lift both your upper body and legs at the same time, reaching your hands toward your feet.
3. Lower back down with control and repeat.

4. Flutter Kicks

This beginner-friendly exercise will leave you surprised with how much your lower abs are burning by the end!

How to perform flutter kicks:

1. Lie on your back and place your hands under your glutes for support.
2. Lift both legs a few inches off the ground.
3. Kick your legs up and down in a small, quick motion while keeping them straight.

5. Bicycle Crunches

This is another awesome exercise for beginners which especially emphasises targeting the obliques with the ‘side-to-side’ movement.

How to perform bicycle crunches:

1. Lie on your back with hands behind your head and legs lifted.
2. Bring one knee toward your chest while twisting your torso to bring the opposite elbow toward the knee.
3. Switch sides in a pedalling motion, keeping your core engaged.

6. Seated Leg Lifts

Don’t be fooled- these are harder than you think.

These seated leg lifts are perfect for improving your hip flexor strength which is so crucial for the hanging leg raise exercise as well as other impressive calisthenics exercises!

How to perform seated leg lifts:

1. Sit on the floor with legs extended and hands resting on the ground for support.
2. Engage your core and lift both legs a few inches off the floor.
3. Hold briefly, then lower back down with control.

7. Seated Knee Tucks

This movement should be performed slowly and controlled for maximum burn.

If you want an extra challenge, try taking your hands off the floor!

How to perform seated knee tucks:

1. Sit on a bench or the floor, leaning back slightly with hands on the sides for balance.
2. Extend your legs straight out.
3. Pull your knees toward your chest, squeezing your core.
4. Extend your legs back out without touching the ground.

8. Incline Bench Leg Raises

These are almost a ‘halfway’ exercise between the lying leg raise and hanging leg raise.

Similar to lying leg raises, make sure you keep your back flat along the bench to prevent any strain on your lower back.

How to perform incline bench leg raises:

1. Lie on an incline bench and grip the sides for support.
2. Engage your core and lift your legs toward the ceiling.
3. Slowly lower them back down, keeping control.

9. Cable Lying Leg Raises

Did you know that you can also complete an awesome core workout while using the cable machine?

Try adding cable lying leg raises for a continuous burn throughout the entirety of the exercise!

How to perform cable lying leg raises:

1. Attach ankle straps to a low pulley cable machine and lie on your back.
2. Engage your core and lift your legs straight up.
3. Lower them back down slowly without letting them touch the floor.

10. Stability Ball Tucks

This is a super challenging yet fun way to target your abs and hip flexors.

Your core will also be working twice as hard since you’ll need to use it to stablise yourself while balancing your legs on top of the ball!

Top tip: try to keep your hips in line with your shoulders throughout the entire movement.

How to perform stability ball tucks:

1. Start in a high plank with your feet resting on a stability ball.
2. Pull your knees toward your chest, rolling the ball forward.
3. Extend your legs back out and repeat.

11. Dragon Flags

This is an advanced exercise which makes a great alternative to hanging leg raises.

If you find this movement too difficult, try performing it with your knees tucked and gradually extend them over time!

How to perform dragon flags:

1. Lie on a bench and grip the sides near your head.
2. Lift your legs and lower back off the bench while keeping your body straight.
3. Lower down slowly without letting your body collapse.

12. TRX Knee Tucks

If you haven’t used the TRX suspension ropes during your core workout, you’re in for a firey treat!

Remember to keep your hips from sagging and your core engaged the entire time to reap the most benefits!

How to perform TRX knee tucks:

1. Place your feet in the TRX straps and start in a plank position.
2. Pull both knees toward your chest, keeping your core tight.
3. Extend your legs back out with control.

Even if you have access to a pull-up bar, you may be looking for ways to change up your workout a bit.

To give you some ideas on how to do this, check out these hanging leg raise variations!

These are great for beginners who want to learn how to perform a hanging leg raise with good technique.

This exercise involves tucking the knees and bringing them to your chest while you are hanging from the pull-up bar.

To make this exercise harder you can add a pause at the top of the movement (while you’re in a tucked position) or to make it easier, try alternating the knee that you bring to your chest.

How to perform hanging knee raises:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, arms fully extended, and shoulders engaged.
2. Keep your core tight and slowly lift your knees toward your chest.
3. Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement.
4. Lower your legs back down with control, trying to avoid any swinging.

This is a more advanced ab and core exercise that involves bringing your toes all the way up to the bar while hanging from the pull-up bar.

If you’re starting to find hanging leg raises to easy, try out this exercise for an awesome challenge!

How to perform toes-to-bar:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, arms fully extended, and shoulders engaged.
2. Engage your core and lift your legs toward the bar, keeping them straight.
3. Aim to touch your toes to the bar while maintaining control.
4. Lower your legs back down slowly without swinging.

Again, this is a more advanced exercise that will leave your entire core burning!

If you can’t quite perform hanging windshield wipers with straight legs, try practising them with bent knees and gradually extend them as you get stronger over time.

How to perform hanging windshield wipers:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, keeping your core engaged.
2. Lift your legs up to a 90-degree angle, keeping them straight.
3. Rotate your legs side to side like a windshield wiper while maintaining control.

This final hanging leg raise variation will test your core strength to the max.

This simply involves holding your legs outstretched in front of you while hanging from the pull-up bar. This forms the desired ‘L’-shaped position.

You can modify this exercise by holding a hanging knee tuck if you struggle to straighten your legs at first.

How to perform a hanging l-sit hold:

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip and engage your shoulders.
2. Lift your legs straight out in front of you until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso.
3. Hold this position, keeping your core tight and avoiding swinging.
4. Lower your legs when fatigued and repeat for multiple holds.

These exercises listed in this post all provide a solid alternative to hanging leg raises while keeping your core engaged and your lower abs burning.

Whether you’re training at home or in the gym, try mixing a few of these into your workouts to build core strength and control.

💡 Which of these hanging leg raise alternatives is your favourite? Let me know in the comments!

This post contains 12 exercises that make great hanging leg raise alternatives as well as 4 other variations for you to try during your next core workout. Don’t forget to share and save for later!

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