If you want to hit upper and lower abs, hanging leg raises are an absolute must!
Hanging tough will help to strengthen your core and develop abs that push against the skin for a six pack you can shout about!
Target the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, hip flexors and obliques (if performing laterally from the midline).
Whilst exercises like crunches target only one area, hanging leg raises help to improve core stability. Performed correctly, they can also enhance gymnastic skills, improve grip strength and bring the waist in super tight.
How to…
1) Hang from a chin-up bar with a medium-wide grip and arms straight. Use a box or step to reach the bar if necessary.
2) Keeping your legs straight, raise them up until they make a 90 degree angle with your torso, exhaling as you do so. Ensure you don’t swing the body and keep the abs contracted.
3) After holding at the top of the movement for a second, slowly breathe out and control the legs back down to the start, again avoiding any swinging movements. This exercise should be performed slowly and deliberately, not erratically.
Ramp it up a notch by…
Lifting your legs higher towards the ceiling. For this variation, don’t allow the legs to go all the way back down as keeping them slightly elevated above the vertical position will keep the tension on the abs.
