Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
In SetGrip: Hanging Knee Raise (Partner Assisted)
- Primary muscleAbs
- EquipmentAssisted
- DifficultyBeginner
- TypeCore · Core flexion
- Secondary muscles
- Hip Flexors
- Body part
- Core
- Position
- Hanging
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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A partner lightly supporting your legs on the way up lets you train the hanging knee raise pattern before your abs and grip can produce full reps on their own. Ask for help only through the sticking point and lower without assistance, since the unassisted descent is where most of the strength gets built.
How to do the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
- Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
- Engage your core muscles and lift your knees towards your chest, bending at the hips and knees.
- Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your abs.
- 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 assisted
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise work?
The Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise primarily works the abs. It also involves the hip flexors, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise good for beginners?
Yes. The Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise is rated beginner: it uses an assisted and the movement is simple to learn. Start light, focus on the full range of motion and add load once every rep looks the same.
What can I do instead of the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise?
If you cannot do the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise, try the Seated Leg Raise, the Captain's Chair Leg Raise or the Flat Bench 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 Partner Assisted Hanging 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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