Would you like to get a core stronger? Are you looking to develop abs and are you ready for a new challenge? Here's the right exercise for you: the knee to chest or hanging knee raises or hanging knee raises!
This exercise is specifically for the lower abs, but you will also feel the forearms and legs working.
Let's find out what it is, its benefits and if you're doing it right:
Index
What are knee to chest?
Suspension knee raises are un exercise for the lower abs which consists of raising and lowering the knees towards the chest while hanging from a pull-up bar; this movement primarily works the abs, including the obliques, but also works the hip flexors.
What are the benefits?
Suspension lifts are a good way to learn muscle isolation techniques and develop a strong core; Furthermore, they offer several advantages for the force, physical form and aesthetics.
La stability needed to maintain proper form during this exercise carries over to other activities such as heavy lifts, i deadlift and squatting.
THEcorrect execution of this exercise counteracts the tendency of the back to arch, strengthening the muscles that oppose this movement; this is critical to safely loading the column with additional weights.
Also, the fact of having to hang by grabbing the bar leads to improved hand and forearm strength and this carries over to other movements such as pull-ups and functional and athletic activities such as climbing.
Knee to chest execution
This exercise is simple to perform; you need to use one pinch (made with three fingers) overhand, that is, with the palms facing outwards when holding the bar.
The key to ensuring proper muscle activation is maintain a neutral pelvis or slight back tilt, activating the lower abs before lifting the legs.
Here is the correct execution step by step:
- Grab a pull-up bar and hang with an overhand grip
- Activate the lower abs by tilting the pelvis towards the ribs
- Lift your knees towards your chest while keeping your lower abs active
- Slowly lower your legs to return to the starting position
- Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.
Muscles involved
This exercise works different muscles:
- Abdominal rectus
- External obliques
- Internal obliques
- Hip flexors
- Forearm muscles
- Muscles of the shoulder girdle.
Common mistakes
Although this exercise is quite simple, there are two main mistakes to avoid when performing it:
- Arch your back: This position deactivates the work of the abs and increases that of the hip flexors
- Leg swing: this bug reduces core strength gains; the momentum from the swing causes your abs and core to work less because they don't contract for the duration of the exercise.
And you, do you do knee to chest or hanging knee raises during your training sessions? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our telegram channel
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