The Half-Iso Hanging Leg Raise Will Challenge Your Core Muscles

Core workouts can get old when you never break away from the back corner of the gym and the same planks, situps, and crunches. You’ll have more fun (and get a much better training session) when you hit get off the ground and add hanging exercises to your routine.

Hanging leg raises can be pretty tough—but you can make them even more challenging with this diabolical variation from Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. The key to leveling up is to play with tempo, add an isometric component for even more tension, and also a unilateral element as well.

Want even more of a challenge? Step back from your standard pullup bar and grab a set of rings. Not only will you be challenged to maintain the hanging position, but you’ll also have to keep your posture picture perfect to keep yourself from swinging around due to the unstable nature of the rings.

How to Do the Half-Iso Hanging Leg Raise

●Grip a pullup bar or a set of rings and hang. Make sure to keep your glutes, core, and shoulders engaged to create full-body tension.

●Raise both legs so that they’re about parallel to the ground, creating an L-shape at your hips. Keep your legs as straight as possible.

●Lower one leg down toward the ground, fighting to keep the other leg extended straight out. Lower as far as you can and flex your glute.

●Return the lowered leg to parallel, then repeat the movement with the other leg.

●Repeat this movement pattern back and forth for 30 to 40 seconds. Work for 3 total sets.

Don’t work fast here. Along with keeping your posture on point, you main goal should be to rack up as much time under tension as possible throughout your working sets.