What is Hanging Oblique Knee Raise?
The Hanging Oblique Knee Raise is a medium-difficulty hanging core move that uses hip rotation to lift one knee toward the opposite elbow. It primarily targets the obliques and overall core while engaging the forearms and lats for grip and stability.
How to Do Hanging Oblique Knee Raise
- Set grip and hang: Take a shoulder-width supinated grip, hang with shoulders depressed and lats engaged, and adopt a hollow body position. Keep arms straight and core braced.
- Brace and prepare: Inhale and brace your core, engage the obliques and lats, and bend both knees while maintaining a stable torso and limited upper-body movement.
- Rotate and lift: Exhale as you rotate the hips and drive one knee up toward the opposite elbow using oblique contraction; avoid swinging the upper body or bending the arms.
- Squeeze at top: Hold a brief contraction at the top, ensuring the obliques are engaged and shoulders stay depressed to prevent momentum and maintain clean mechanics.
- Lower with control: Slowly lower the leg back to the start under full control, reset core tension, then switch sides and repeat for balanced repetitions.
Muscle Groups
Core, Forearm
Description
With hands about shoulder width apart, take a supinated grip and hang actively from the bar in a hollow position. (Shoulders depressed, Core and Lats engaged)Brace your core and bend your knees. Rotate the hips and use your obliques to raise one knee to the opposite elbow. Exhale on the way up
Keep your arms straight and engage your lats to restrict upper body movement. Squeeze at the top and slowly control back down.
Switch sides and repeat for repetitions.
Keep the arms straight, limit movement from your upper body.
Movement Group
Core
Required Equipment
Pull-Up Bar
Progressions and Regressions
None
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of Hanging Oblique Knee Raises?
Hanging Oblique Knee Raises strengthen the obliques and overall core, improve anti-rotation control, and build grip and shoulder stability. They enhance hip mobility and functional rotational strength useful for sports and daily movements.
What are common mistakes to avoid when doing this exercise?
Common mistakes include swinging or using momentum, bending the arms, lifting with the shoulders instead of rotating the hips, failing to engage the lats/core, and rushing the descent. These reduce effectiveness and increase injury risk.
How can I progress or regress Hanging Oblique Knee Raises?
Regress with bent-knee raises, lying oblique crunches, or captain's chair tucks. Progress by increasing range of motion or resistance, performing straight-leg toes-to-bar, slow negatives, or adding ankle weights for greater oblique overload.