Knee/Hip Raise On Parallel Bars
The knee/hip raise on parallel bars is a supported ab exercise done on a dip station or captain's chair, where you rest your forearms on the pads and lift your knees toward your chest by curling your pelvis. Because your forearms carry your weight instead of your hands, it's often a more approachable entry point into hanging-style ab work than a fully hanging leg raise, while still training the same lower abdominal region.
Why it works
Lifting the knees toward the chest from a hanging or supported position requires the abdominals to curl the pelvis upward against the pull of gravity on the legs, rather than just holding a static brace. Supporting your forearms on pads removes the grip and shoulder-stabilization demand of a fully hanging variation, which lets you focus the effort more directly on that pelvic curl instead of splitting attention between your grip and your abs. The longer your legs stay extended during the lift, the longer the lever your abs have to control, which is why bending the knees on the way up, rather than raising straight legs, makes the movement more approachable for most people while still asking the abdominals to do real work.
Set up
- Position yourself in the parallel bar or captain's chair station, resting your forearms on the pads and gripping the handles.
- Let your body hang with your back against the pad and your torso upright.
- Let your legs hang straight down to start, with a slight brace through your core.
How to do it
- Brace your core before starting the movement.
- Curl your pelvis and lift your knees up toward your chest.
- Continue lifting until your thighs sit level with your hips, or as high as you can control.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Lower your legs back down slowly until they're straight again.
- Repeat without using momentum to swing into the next rep.
Form cues
- Curl the pelvis, don't just swing the legs.
- Keep your back pressed against the pad.
- Pause briefly at the top before lowering.
- Control the descent instead of dropping the legs.
Breathing: Exhale as you curl your knees up, inhale as you lower your legs back down.
Common mistakes
Swinging the legs using momentum instead of curling the pelvis.
Fix: Pause and reset between reps if you notice your body swinging, and slow the tempo down until the movement comes from your abs.
Arching the lower back and shrugging the shoulders up to compensate.
Fix: Keep your shoulders down away from your ears and your back flat against the pad throughout the set.
Only lifting the knees a small amount without curling the pelvis at all.
Fix: Focus on tilting your hips up, not just bending your knees; the pelvic curl is what makes this an ab exercise rather than a hip flexor one.
Gripping the handles so hard that the forearms fatigue before the abs do.
Fix: Rest your forearms into the pads and let them carry your weight, keeping your hand grip light rather than white-knuckled.
How to program it
- Two or three sets of 8 to 12 controlled reps is a solid working range for most people.
- Place it toward the end of a core or upper body session, since your forearms and shoulders will already be doing some stabilizing work.
- Because it's a bodyweight ab isolation move rather than a heavy compound lift, training it two to three times a week fits most programs without much recovery concern.
- Once 12 controlled reps feel easy, extend the legs a little straighter on each rep before adding external ankle weight; a longer lever is a simpler progression than rushing to full straight-leg raises.
Safety notes
- Stop swinging and reset your position if you feel strain building in your lower back rather than your abs.
- Lower your legs with control rather than letting them drop and jerk at the bottom of the range.
- If your shoulders start to ache mid-set, that's usually a sign your torso is sagging away from the pad rather than staying upright.
Exercise profile
- Force
- Pull
- Mechanics
- Isolation
- Category
- Strength
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the knee/hip raise on parallel bars work?
It mainly targets the abdominals, especially the lower portion, by curling the pelvis up toward the ribs.
How is this different from a hanging leg raise?
The parallel bar version supports your forearms so your grip doesn't fatigue as quickly, letting you focus more directly on the ab curl. A hanging leg raise demands grip and shoulder stability on top of that same abdominal work.
How many reps should I do?
Eight to twelve controlled reps for two or three sets is a reasonable starting point.
What can I do if I don't have access to a parallel bar station?
A reverse crunch on the floor trains a similar pelvis-curling motion without needing any equipment.
Should my knees stay bent or straight during this exercise?
Bent knees are the standard, more approachable version. Straightening your legs increases the demand on your abs significantly, so save that for once bent-knee reps feel controlled and easy.