Tutorial: Hanging Knee Lift

The hanging knee lift is an advanced bodyweight exercise that challenges core and grip strength, as well as coordination and balance. By performing it, you’ll get a better control of your core and your body.

WHAT

• The hanging knee lift is an advanced exercise that targets the abdominals, upper back and shoulders.
• This exercise is particularly suited to those looking for progressive core exercises but may also appeal to athletes wishing to increase abdominal strength and control for sport, e.g. gymnastics, calisthenics.

HOW

• Begin by hanging on a bar; set the shoulders and engage the abdominals to form a ‘hollow’ or ‘dish’ shape.
• Keeping the arms straight, lift the knees towards the chest. As the knees cross the hips, use the abdominal muscles to ‘tuck’ the hips, bringing the knees closer to the chest. Return and repeat.

Training progression – as your grip strength and control improves, you can begin to add speed and range of motion by rapidly bringing the feet to the bar.

WHY

• The hanging knee lift requires optimal control and balance of the entire body during the movement. Because the lower body is moving relative to a fixed upper body, you’re required to have better control of body position to maintain a coordinated movement. There is also a bonus of improved shoulder stability and mobility, which is often missing in floor-based core exercises.
• If you’re looking for abdominal exercise progressions, or merely want to add intensity to your core training, the hanging knee lift will be a welcome addition to your workouts.

Did you like the hanging knee lift tutorial? Here are more exercises:

• Burpee
• Barbell front squat
• Hamstring curl
• TRX low pull
• Lateral jumps
• Push-up with rotation
• Suspended squat
• Jump pull-up
• Inverted push-up
• Suspended lunge
• Kinesis low to high chop
• Kinesis twisting punches
• Kinesis row
• Kinesis lunge
• Roll out with step
• Hip extension
• Hanging twist