A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Hanging Knee Raise of 19 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 35 lbs (0.19x bodyweight).
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results
How strong is your Hanging Knee Raise? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.
How Strong Is Your Hanging Knee Raise?
How Much Should You Hanging Knee Raise?
1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.
| BW (lbs) | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | < 1 | 6 | 22 | 44 | 68 |
| 120 | < 1 | 6 | 22 | 42 | 65 |
| 130 | < 1 | 6 | 22 | 41 | 63 |
| 140 | < 1 | 7 | 21 | 40 | 60 |
| 150 | < 1 | 7 | 21 | 38 | 58 |
| 160 | < 1 | 7 | 20 | 37 | 56 |
| 170 | < 1 | 6 | 19 | 36 | 54 |
| 180 | < 1 | 6 | 19 | 35 | 52 |
| 190 | < 1 | 6 | 18 | 34 | 50 |
| 200 | < 1 | 6 | 18 | 33 | 49 |
| 210 | < 1 | 6 | 17 | 31 | 47 |
| 220 | < 1 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 46 |
| 230 | < 1 | 5 | 16 | 29 | 44 |
| 240 | < 1 | 5 | 15 | 28 | 43 |
| 250 | < 1 | 5 | 15 | 28 | 41 |
| 260 | < 1 | 5 | 14 | 27 | 40 |
| 270 | < 1 | 4 | 14 | 26 | 39 |
| 280 | < 1 | 4 | 13 | 25 | 38 |
| 290 | < 1 | 4 | 13 | 24 | 37 |
| 300 | < 1 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 36 |
| 310 | < 1 | 3 | 12 | 23 | 35 |
| 90 | < 1 | 5 | 24 | 50 | 79 |
| 100 | < 1 | 7 | 26 | 50 | 78 |
| 110 | < 1 | 8 | 27 | 50 | 77 |
| 120 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 50 | 75 |
| 130 | < 1 | 10 | 28 | 49 | 73 |
| 140 | < 1 | 10 | 28 | 49 | 72 |
| 150 | < 1 | 11 | 28 | 48 | 70 |
| 160 | < 1 | 11 | 28 | 47 | 68 |
| 170 | < 1 | 12 | 28 | 46 | 67 |
| 180 | < 1 | 12 | 27 | 45 | 65 |
| 190 | < 1 | 12 | 27 | 44 | 63 |
| 200 | 1 | 12 | 27 | 44 | 62 |
| 210 | 1 | 12 | 26 | 43 | 60 |
| 220 | 1 | 12 | 26 | 42 | 59 |
| 230 | 2 | 12 | 25 | 41 | 58 |
| 240 | 2 | 12 | 25 | 40 | 56 |
| 250 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 39 | 55 |
| 260 | 2 | 11 | 24 | 38 | 54 |
How Does Age Affect Hanging Knee Raise Strength?
How Hanging Knee Raise standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.
| Age | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | < 1 | < 1 | 12 | 28 | 45 |
| 20 | < 1 | 5 | 18 | 36 | 56 |
| 25 | < 1 | 6 | 20 | 38 | 58 |
| 30 | < 1 | 6 | 20 | 38 | 58 |
| 35 | < 1 | 6 | 20 | 38 | 58 |
| 40 | < 1 | 6 | 20 | 38 | 58 |
| 45 | < 1 | 4 | 17 | 34 | 53 |
| 50 | < 1 | 2 | 14 | 30 | 48 |
| 55 | < 1 | < 1 | 11 | 26 | 42 |
| 60 | < 1 | < 1 | 8 | 21 | 36 |
| 65 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 16 | 30 |
| 70 | < 1 | < 1 | 1 | 12 | 24 |
| 75 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 8 | 18 |
| 80 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 5 | 13 |
| 85 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 90 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 6 |
| 15 | < 1 | 4 | 19 | 40 | 62 |
| 20 | < 1 | 8 | 27 | 50 | 76 |
| 25 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 | 78 |
| 30 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 | 78 |
| 35 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 | 78 |
| 40 | < 1 | 9 | 28 | 52 | 78 |
| 45 | < 1 | 7 | 25 | 48 | 73 |
| 50 | < 1 | 5 | 22 | 43 | 67 |
| 55 | < 1 | 3 | 18 | 37 | 59 |
| 60 | < 1 | < 1 | 14 | 32 | 52 |
| 65 | < 1 | < 1 | 10 | 26 | 44 |
| 70 | < 1 | < 1 | 7 | 20 | 36 |
| 75 | < 1 | < 1 | 3 | 15 | 29 |
| 80 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 10 | 23 |
| 85 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 7 | 18 |
| 90 | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | 4 | 13 |
What Do Hanging Knee Raise Strength Standards Mean?
Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement on the Hanging Knee Raise, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.
Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Hanging Knee Raise with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.
Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Hanging Knee Raise is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.
Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built significant strength on the Hanging Knee Raise through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.
Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Hanging Knee Raise strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.
How to Progress Your Hanging Knee Raise
Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Hanging Knee Raise to the next level.
- Train the Hanging Knee Raise 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
- Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
- Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
- Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
- Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Hanging Knee Raise.
- Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
- Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
- Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
- Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Hanging Knee Raise plateaus.
- Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
- Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
- Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
- Maximize Hanging Knee Raise strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
- Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
- Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
- Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
How to Perform Hanging Knee Raise
- Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, arms fully extended, and your body straight.
- Engage your core muscles and lift your knees towards your chest in a controlled manner, exhaling as you lift.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement, ensuring your knees are as close to your chest as possible.
- Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position while inhaling, maintaining control and avoiding swinging.
Tips for Hanging Knee Raise
- Keep your movements slow and controlled to maximize muscle engagement and avoid using momentum.
- Engage your core throughout the exercise to protect your lower back.
- Avoid swinging your legs or using your upper body to pull your knees up.
- For a more challenging variation, try holding a dumbbell between your feet.
Where Do These Hanging Knee Raise Standards Come From?
These Hanging Knee Raise standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.
Last Updated: March 30, 2026
Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.
Is Your Hanging Knee Raise Good for Your Weight?
Strength standards help you objectively measure your Hanging Knee Raise performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:
- Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
- Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
- Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
- Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.
If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Hanging Knee Raise 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.
These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.