10 Best Hanging Leg Raise Alternatives (From A Trainer)

1. Power Tower Leg Raises 

This intermediate-level hanging leg raises alternative is the closest substitute you can get. The power tower supports your upper body with its armrests and back pad, reducing the difficulty of the movement.

Even though this substitute for hanging knee raises activates everything the standard hanging knee raise does, it doesn’t develop your grip strength. If you’ve found your grip strength is preventing you from performing the regular hanging leg or knee raise, then this alternative is an excellent choice.

Related Article - Power Tower Workout Routines

2. V-Ups

If you’re looking to hit most of the muscles in your core and your hip flexors, then the V-up is a fantastic alternative hanging leg raise exercise.

As this movement involves lying on the floor, you need no equipment, and minimal space is required, making it the perfect solution if you're struggling for space in your home gym. It also removes any need for shoulder or arm strength as all the pressure is placed on your core muscles.

This is one of my favorite ab exercises that you can do anywhere. If you want to learn more of these easy and functional movements, read our full article.

How to do it: 

3. Flat Bench Leg & Hip Raises 

This alternative to hanging leg raises is a more advanced movement and shouldn’t be attempted by beginners. It requires a massive amount of core strength to perform.

The movement uses a similar pattern to the hanging leg raises, except that you’re lying down on a bench.

The “hip raise” is optional during the exercise, as it increases the range of motion leading to more abdominal activation.

How to do it: 

4. Decline Leg Raise 

This alternative hanging leg raise exercise is similar to the standard leg raise; however, you use a decline bench rather than being on the floor.

Using a decline bench increases the force placed on the abs due to gravity acting on your legs as you raise them. Think of it as the halfway point between lying on the floor and hanging vertically on a bar.

Read Also - How To Use An Ab Bench

How to do it: 

5. L-Sit Hold

This substitute for hanging leg raises is a more advanced movement. If you’re a beginner, move on to another exercises alternative for now.

The L-sit is a common training exercise for gymnasts as it’s a brutal core movement that places a significant requirement on the core. It differs from other exercises on this list as you don’t perform repetitions of this exercises; instead, you hold a position for a set time.

Even though it targets the abdominals, it works the hip flexors, quads, shoulders, traps, triceps, and lats.

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How to do it: 

6. Stability Ball Knee Tucks 

This beginner-level alternative to hanging knee raise is an excellent exercise for stimulating your core muscles in more ways than one.  

It not only requires you to brace your core, but it requires wrist and shoulder stability too. There isn’t a muscle in the body that doesn’t work during this movement, although it primarily targets your abdominals.  

Garage Gym Pro Tip: Don’t let your body sag between reps, keep the tension in your abs.  

How to do it: 

7. Lying Down Leg Lowers 

The lying down leg lowers (lying down leg raise) is an excellent hanging leg raises alternative to perform at home. It predominantly works the transverses abdominis, the deepest layer of your abs. While you can’t see them, they’re vital for your overall core strength; they even help you develop a beach-ready 6-pack.

The movement is similar to the hanging leg raise, except that you’re lying down. 

How to do it: 

8. Bicycle Kicks 

This hanging knee raises alternative is a straightforward yet effective method of working your abs, hip flexors, and overall core strength.

It follows a similar movement pattern to the hanging leg raise but doesn't require any grip strength or shoulder stability. As a result, it's a perfect solution for beginners to build up overall core strength without worrying about a lack of upper body strength.

During this movement, your lower abs and obliques take quite the beating.

How to do it: 

Garage Gym Pro Tip: If you want to work your obliques, you can twist up towards your knee, touching it with your opposite elbow.

9. Strict Toes to Bar 

The strict toes to bar exercise is a highly advanced alternative for hanging leg raises. If you can’t perform the standard leg raise, you’ll struggle with this substitute.

Your upper body works incredibly hard to stabilize itself during the movement as you raise your toes towards the bar. Muscles such as your rhomboids, lats, deltoids, biceps, and triceps are engaged throughout the movement. Obviously, this exercise works your core muscles too.

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How to do it: 

Garage Gym Pro Tip: This movement is incredibly strict; there should be no swinging at all.

10. Reverse Crunches 

Usually, the traditional crunch involves moving your upper body, which is nothing like the hanging leg raise. However, the reverse crunch is a brilliant alternative exercise for hanging leg raises as it involves raising your legs towards your body to work your core muscles.

It’s an excellent exercise for beginners to develop base strength in their core before moving on to more challenging movements.

How to do it: 

Garage Gym Pro Tip: Your legs are the movers; your upper body should remain still, creating tension in your abs.

Are Hanging Leg Raise Substitutes Good? (Benefits Explained)

The hanging knee raise and the hanging knee raise alternative exercises provide exceptional benefits for your overall fitness, strength, and aesthetics. They’re suitable for all levels, except for the more advanced variations I’ve mentioned, such as L-sit and toes to bar leg raises.  

All of the exercises on the list above target the core in its entirety, while several of them work for other muscle groups too. The core has a significant effect on all of your other lifts. 

If it’s weak, your squats, deadlifts, and all other movements will suffer, leading to poorer workouts and less muscle development.  

However, by performing the hanging leg raise substitutes on this list, your lifts will improve, and movements such as pull-ups and other functional movements will become much easier to perform.

What To Avoid When Doing These Alternative Exercises

Arching Your Lower Back 

A common mistake is arching your lower back during the hanging knee raise alternatives, causing a lack of engagement in the core. Basically, you’re letting your core off the hook.  

Arching your lower back encourages your hip flexors to take over from your lower abs and glutes job, and this causes overactive hip flexors and underactive abdominals.

An excellent way to ensure you’re not arching your back is to suck your belly button into the floor (towards your spine).

Lowering Your Legs Too Fast  

By lowering your legs too fast, you’re allowing gravity to do the work for you rather than making your abdominals work hard to control your legs on the way down. You can avoid this by focusing on your movement speed and slowing the leg's movement during the negative portion of the exercise. 

People Also Ask (FAQs)

Why are leg raise alternatives so hard? 

In today’s society, we’re accustomed to sitting down for most of the day, which causes many areas of our body to become weak, such as the lower abs and other core muscles. Due to the leg raise alternatives targeting these areas, they often feel challenging at first.  

Do leg raise substitutes burn belly fat?  

Unfortunately, no exercises can target belly fat directly and specifically, not even abdominal exercises. However, the leg raise alternatives help develop the muscle under belly fat, so when you lose the weight you want, your six-pack is there waiting to be shown off on the beach.  

What muscles do hanging knee raise substitutes work? 

The main areas targeted during the hanging knee raise substitute exercises are the lower abs, hip flexors, obliques, and transverse abdominals. However, many of them also target the deltoids, biceps, triceps, quads, glutes, traps, and lats, depending on what variation you select.

Conclusion

The core is one area of the body you can’t afford to leave out of your workouts, and it’s responsible for bringing stability to all of your lifts, such as pull-ups, deadlifts, squats, and more.

One of the best ways to develop the core is hanging leg raises. However, they’re difficult to perform if you don’t have the correct equipment or body strength.

The alternative hanging leg raise exercises on the list above are the perfect solution for developing your core without performing the hanging leg raise.