10 Best Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Assisted Hanging Knee Raise is done hanging with a machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Leg Pull-in, the Vertical Leg Raise (On Parallel Bars) and the Hanging Leg Hip Raise.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Assisted Hanging Knee Raise

Assisted Hanging Knee RaisePlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Hip Flexors

How to perform Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
  2. Engage your core muscles and lift your knees towards your chest, bending at the hips and knees.
  3. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your abs.
  4. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Leg Pull-in

    1. Leg Pull-in

    89% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on an exercise mat with your legs extended and your hands either palms facing down next to you or under your glutes. Tip: My preference is with the hands next to me. This will be your starting position.
    2. Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue the motion until your knees are around chest level. Contract your abs as you execute this movement and hold for a second at the top. Tip: As you perform the motion, the lower legs (calves) should always remain parallel to the floor.
    3. Return to the starting position as you inhale.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  2. Vertical Leg Raise (On Parallel Bars)Play demonstration

    2. Vertical Leg Raise (On Parallel Bars)

    81% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from the parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
    3. Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or slightly higher.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  3. Hanging Leg Hip RaisePlay demonstration

    3. Hanging Leg Hip Raise

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up by flexing your hips and knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
    3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  4. Hanging PikePlay demonstration

    4. Hanging Pike

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up towards the bar, keeping them straight.
    3. Continue lifting until your body forms a 'V' shape, with your legs parallel to the ground.
    4. Hold the position for a moment, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  5. Hanging Leg RaisePlay demonstration

    5. Hanging Leg Raise

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
    3. Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or as high as you can comfortably go.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  6. Hanging Straight Leg Hip RaisePlay demonstration

    6. Hanging Straight Leg Hip Raise

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you until they are parallel to the ground.
    3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  7. Hanging Straight Leg RaisePlay demonstration

    7. Hanging Straight Leg Raise

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
    3. Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or as high as you can comfortably go.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  8. Suspended Reverse CrunchPlay demonstration

    8. Suspended Reverse Crunch

    75% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
    2. Engage your core and lift your knees up towards your chest, curling your pelvis towards your ribcage.
    3. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your knees back down to the starting position.
    4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: a suspension trainer, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  9. Gorilla Chin/crunch

    9. Gorilla Chin/crunch

    75% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a chin-up bar using an underhand grip (palms facing you) that is slightly wider than shoulder width.
    2. Now bend your knees at a 90 degree angle so that the calves are parallel to the floor while the thighs remain perpendicular to it. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you exhale, pull yourself up while crunching your knees up at the same time until your knees are at chest level. You will stop going up as soon as your nose is at the same level as the bar. Tip: When you get to this point you should also be finishing the crunch at the same time.
    4. Slowly start to inhale as you return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
  10. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip RaisePlay demonstration

    10. Hanging Straight Twisting Leg Hip Raise

    70% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Advanced
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your legs straight.
    2. Engage your core and lift your legs up towards your chest, keeping them straight.
    3. Once your legs are parallel to the ground, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards that side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat the movement, but this time twist your hips to the opposite side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: hanging, the same as the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise

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