Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown

In SetGrip: Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown (Partner Assisted)

Secondary muscles
Hip Flexors, Spine
Body part
Core
Position
Hanging
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

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Here the partner adds work instead of removing it: after each knee raise they shove your legs downward and you must brake before the swing takes over. That forced eccentric hits the abs far harder than strict reps, so keep sets short, around five to eight throws, and stop once you can no longer kill the swing.

How to do the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown

  1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
  2. Engage your core and lift your knees towards your chest, keeping your legs together.
  3. Once your knees are at chest level, explosively throw your legs down towards the ground, extending them fully.
  4. Allow your legs to swing back up and repeat the movement 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.
  • Spine

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

GoalSets × repsRest
Strength3 × 8–1260 s
Endurance2–3 × 15–2545 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

Easier and harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown work?

The Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown primarily works the abs. It also involves the hip flexors and spine, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.

Is the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown good for beginners?

Not as a starting point. The Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown 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 Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown?

If you cannot do the Partner Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Throwdown, try the Hanging Knee Raise, the Hanging Leg Raise or the Captain's Chair Knee 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 Throwdown, 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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Exercise data and animations are licensed ExerciseDB content used in SetGrip. This page is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice.