Captain's Chair Knee Raise
Also known as: captains chair knee raises, captain chair knee raise
- Primary muscleAbs
- EquipmentBodyweight
- DifficultyAdvanced
- TypeCore · Core flexion
- Secondary muscles
- Hip Flexors
- Body part
- Core
- Position
- Lying
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Forearm pads and a backrest hold your torso vertical on the captain's chair, so knee raises here isolate the abs without the grip demand or swing of hanging from a bar. Drive the knees above hip height rather than pumping short, fast reps, which quietly hands the work to the hip flexors.
How to do the Captain's Chair Knee Raise
- Hang from the parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
- Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
- Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or slightly higher.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Exhale and tuck the pelvis at the top of every rep before lowering slowly.
Muscles worked
Primary
Abs · Core
The lower abs work to tilt the pelvis backward and lift the hips, and you should feel the contraction low in the stomach only once the pelvis starts to curl.
Secondary
- Hip Flexors — The hip flexors lift the legs during the first half of the movement and will do all the work if the pelvis never tilts.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the legs — if the body rocks on a hanging leg raise, you are using momentum; slow the tempo and let the legs come to a dead stop at the bottom.
- Only lifting the legs — the abs do not work until the pelvis tilts up; think of curling the hips toward the ribs, not just raising the feet.
- Lower back arching — if the lower back lifts off the floor, the range is too long; bend the knees or shorten it until the back stays flat.
- Neck straining forward — keep the head neutral on lying raises and hang relaxed from the shoulders on the bar.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 × 8–12 | 60 s |
| Endurance | 2–3 × 15–25 | 45 s |
Leg raises go at the end of a session with the rest of the core work, or between sets of an upper body lift. Superset them with ab rollouts or crunches for a full ab circuit.
Variations and alternatives
Similar exercises
Without bodyweight
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Captain's Chair Knee Raise work?
The Captain's Chair Knee Raise primarily works the abs. It also involves the hip flexors, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Captain's Chair Knee Raise good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Captain's Chair Knee Raise is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Captain's Chair Knee Raise?
If you cannot do the Captain's Chair Knee Raise, try the Hanging Knee Raise, the Hanging Leg Raise or the Captain's Chair Leg Raise. Each of them trains the abs through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Captain's Chair Knee Raise, a sensible starting point is strength: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 15–25 with 45 s rest. Train it at the end of a session or pair it with a lower-body lift as active rest.
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