Skip to content
Hanging Knee Raise strength standards

What is a good Hanging Knee Raise?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Hanging Knee Raise is about 19 reps. Advanced starts around 35 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology

How Many Hanging Knee Raise Should You Be Able to Do?

Hanging Knee Raise rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner< 1
Novice6 reps
Intermediate19 reps
Advanced35 reps
Elite52 reps

Hanging Knee Raise Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

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

The Hanging Knee Raise standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Hanging Knee Raise Standards by Age

How the Hanging Knee Raise standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

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

The Hanging Knee Raise standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Hanging Knee Raise Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 19 Hanging Knee Raise is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your result
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

What the Hanging Knee Raise Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. An easier version or a shorter range is the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with harder variations to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Hanging Knee Raise

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Hanging Knee Raise to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start with an easier version you can do for 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Move to the full version once 12 clean reps feel easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the hardest point.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Hanging Knee Raise

Hanging Knee Raise demonstration
Primary Muscles Obliques, Forearms, Hip Flexors, Lower Abdominals
Equipment Pull-Up Bar
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound
  1. Start by hanging from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, arms fully extended, and your body straight.
  2. Engage your core muscles and lift your knees towards your chest in a controlled manner, exhaling as you lift.
  3. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, ensuring your knees are as close to your chest as possible.
  4. Slowly lower your legs back to the starting position while inhaling, maintaining control and avoiding swinging.

Tips

  • 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.

Read the complete Hanging Knee Raise guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Hanging Knee Raise Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Hanging Knee Raise table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Hanging Knee Raise itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Hanging Knee Raise number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Hanging Knee Raise after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Hanging Knee Raise table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.