Vertical Leg Raise (on parallel bars)
Strengthen your core and hip flexors with the Vertical Leg Raise on parallel bars. This challenging exercise builds abdominal strength and control.
Description
A bodyweight exercise where you hold yourself on parallel bars and raise your legs up to your chest.
How to Do Vertical Leg Raise (on parallel bars)
- 1Setup
Grip parallel bars with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width, and lift your body so your arms are extended and supporting your weight, with your feet hanging freely.
- 2Setup
Keep your torso stable and erect, engaging your core slightly to prevent swinging, ensuring your shoulders are pressed down and back away from your ears.
- 3
Exhale as you slowly raise your knees towards your chest, bringing them as high as possible by flexing your hips and engaging your lower abdominals.
- 4
Hold the top position briefly, focusing on the contraction in your hip flexors and lower abs.
- 5
Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back to the starting position with control, fully extending them without allowing them to swing or touch the ground.
Tips
- Focus on initiating the movement from your hip flexors and lower abs, rather than relying on momentum or swinging your legs.
- Maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt throughout the exercise to keep your lower back from arching excessively.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase just as much as the concentric (lifting) phase to maximize muscle engagement and prevent injury.
- If raising your knees is too difficult, start by performing bent-knee raises to a 90-degree angle to build foundational strength.
Common Mistakes
- ×Swinging the legs to generate momentum instead of using muscle control; fix this by performing the movement slowly and deliberately, focusing on the contraction.
- ×Arching the lower back excessively during the raise; fix this by actively bracing your abdominal muscles and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
- ×Not fully lowering the legs on the eccentric phase; fix this by ensuring a complete, controlled extension of the legs back to the starting hanging position without touching the ground.
Related Exercises
Standing Side Leg Raise
Strengthen your gluteus medius and obliques with the Standing Side Leg Raise. Improve hip stability, balance, and core control.
Hanging Straight Leg Raise
Strengthen your hip flexors and core with hanging straight leg raises. This challenging exercise builds lower abdominal strength and hip mobility.
Hanging Leg Raise
Challenge your core and hip flexors with the Hanging Leg Raise. This advanced exercise builds strength and stability while improving abdominal definition.
Criss Cross Leg Raises
Strengthen your hip adductors and core with Criss Cross Leg Raises. Lie on your back, lift your legs, and cross them in a controlled, fluid motion.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Vertical Leg Raise (on parallel bars) in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free