# Hanging Knees To Elbows - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/11404/hanging-knees-to-elbows/ - Media ID: 11404 - Primary muscle: Abs - Body part: Core - Equipment: Pull-Up Bar - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/11404/hanging-knees-to-elbows.mp4 ## Description Hanging Knees To Elbows is a hanging core exercise performed from a pull-up bar or power tower. You start from a dead hang with straight arms, then bend your knees and curl them up and inward until they reach or pass the level of your elbows, letting the pelvis roll upward as the knees rise. The finishing position in this movement is far higher than a basic knee raise, which is what makes it a genuine lower abdominal exercise rather than just a hip flexor drill. The main work is done by the lower portion of the rectus abdominis as it pulls the pelvis into a posterior tilt, while the hip flexors lift the thighs and the obliques help control the slight rotation and keep the torso steady under the bar. Because you are suspended, your forearms, grip, and lats are also working the entire time simply to hold your body on the bar. That makes this a demanding compound core movement rather than an isolation exercise. This exercise suits intermediate lifters and anyone with gymnastics or calisthenics goals, as well as barbell and overhead athletes who need strong, controlled hip flexion from a hanging position. It is a stepping stone toward toes-to-bar and hanging leg raises, and it transfers well to climbing, obstacle racing, and martial arts where you repeatedly lift the legs against your own body weight. Setup matters more than most people expect. Grip the bar roughly shoulder-width or slightly wider, hang with the body quiet rather than swinging, and pull the shoulders slightly down away from the ears to keep the shoulder girdle stable. If you start the set already swinging, every rep will use momentum from the arms and back instead of the abs, and the elbows will drift wherever the swing takes them. To execute it well, exhale as the knees rise, think about rolling the pelvis under you rather than just folding the hips, and bring the knees as close to the elbows or armpits as your control allows. Pause briefly at the top, then lower with purpose instead of dropping, keeping some tension in the abs until the legs hang straight again. Full height with a controlled lower is worth far more than fast, sloppy reps that barely reach hip level. Common use cases include core finishers after pulling work, calisthenics progression sessions, and conditioning circuits where a strict knee raise keeps the abdominals loaded without extra equipment. If swinging becomes a problem, slow the tempo down, do fewer reps, or use a partner to gently steady the hips until you can keep the hang quiet on your own. ## Instructions 1. Set your hands on a pull-up bar at about shoulder width or slightly wider, with the palms facing forward and a full wrap of the fingers around the bar. 2. Hang from full straight arms, let the legs settle so the swinging stops, and pull the shoulder blades slightly down so the shoulders are not shrugging up by the ears. 3. Brace the abdominal wall and squeeze the glutes lightly to keep the body still before any movement begins. 4. Inhale, then bend the knees and begin lifting them forward and up in front of the body. 5. As the knees rise past hip height, curl the pelvis underneath you so the lower back rounds slightly and the knees travel up toward the elbows rather than straight up in front of the chest. 6. Keep pulling until the knees reach or come near the elbows, with the knees staying bent and the feet tucked under the thighs. 7. Pause for a beat at the top, keeping the abs squeezed rather than letting the pelvis unload. 8. Exhale as you lift, and inhale slowly as you lower the legs back down under control. 9. Lower until the legs hang straight and the pelvis returns to neutral, stopping any swing before starting the next rep. 10. Reset the grip and shoulder position between reps, and step off the bar when the knees stop reaching full height. ## Tips & Tricks - If your knees only reach hip height, the pelvis is probably staying neutral, which turns this into a hip flexor raise. Focus on exhaling hard and tucking the tailbone up as the knees rise. - Swinging is the most common fault on this setup. Start each rep from a completely still hang and chase a quiet, controlled lower instead of counting fast reps. - Shrugging into the ears during the lift usually means the shoulders are not set. Pull the shoulder blades down before rep one and re-set them whenever you feel them creep up. - Use a full overhand grip with the thumb wrapped around the bar. A thumbless grip fatigues the forearms early and makes the hands feel like they will slip once the abs start working. - Do not straighten the legs to make it harder. In this exercise the knees stay bent so the thighs can travel all the way up toward the elbows; straightening them shifts the work back to the hip flexors. - Chalk or a towel for sweaty hands is not optional on this movement, since a wet grip shortens every set long before the abs are tired. - Keep the knees roughly together and slightly turned out only if it relieves hip pinching; letting the legs splay wide suggests the abs are losing the pelvic tilt. - If lower back discomfort appears, reduce the range so the pelvis stays in control, and make sure you are rounding slightly rather than arching as the knees come up. - For a harder version without adding weight, slow the lowering phase to two or three seconds per rep. - When grip strength runs out before the abs, use lifting straps or switch sets to an assisted knee raise station so the core still gets the work. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does Hanging Knees To Elbows work? The lower abs are the primary mover, with strong support from the hip flexors as they lift the thighs. The obliques, forearms, grip, and lats all contribute to stabilizing and holding the hang. ### Is Hanging Knees To Elbows good for beginners? It is generally too demanding as a first hanging exercise, because it requires grip strength, a still hang, and a strong pelvic curl. Beginners do better starting with hanging knee raises to hip height and building up before chasing the elbows. ### How is this different from a regular hanging knee raise? In a regular knee raise the knees stop around hip or chest height and the pelvis stays fairly neutral. In Hanging Knees To Elbows the pelvis rolls up under you, which shifts the emphasis to the lower abs and makes the range much longer. ### Why do my forearms give out before my abs during this exercise? Hanging endurance is usually the limiting factor early on. Shorten the sets, rest longer between them, and add separate dead hang practice so your grip can keep up with your core. ### Should my knees stay bent the whole time? Yes, keeping the knees tucked lets the thighs travel high enough to reach the elbows and keeps the pelvis curling. Straightening the legs changes the movement into a leg raise and makes the elbows much harder to reach. ### How do I stop myself from swinging on the bar? Start every rep from a dead stop, squeeze the glutes and abs before lifting, and lower the legs slowly rather than dropping them. If swing still creeps in, pause for a second at the bottom of each rep to reset. ### Can I use elbow straps or an assisted station instead? An assisted knee raise station with elbow pads removes the grip and hang demands, so it works the same basic curling pattern but skips the forearm and lat stabilizing work. It is a reasonable substitute while building hang strength. ### Is it bad if my lower back rounds or aches at the top? Some rounding of the lower back is part of the correct pelvic curl, but sharp or pinching discomfort is a sign to cut the range. Stop where you can keep the pelvis under control and progress gradually from there. ### How high do my knees actually need to go? Aim to bring the knees up to at least elbow level, or as close as you can get while the pelvis stays curled and the hang stays quiet. Partial-height reps are fine during learning, but the abs get the real work in the last part of the range. ### How does this exercise progress toward toes-to-bar? It is the standard step between hanging knee raises and toes-to-bar, since it trains the same pelvic curl with a shorter lever. Once you can touch the elbows cleanly for several sets, straightening the legs into full toes-to-bar becomes realistic.