How to perfect hanging knee raises with Chris Tripp

You’re only as strong as your core. It’s needed for every action; from getting up from a chair to opening a door. It stands to reason you’d want to make it as strong as possible, and lucky for you, hanging knee raises can help you to do this. Even luckier, CrazyBulk ambassador Chris Tripp has taken the time to teach you how to do them properly.

Hanging knee raises really work the lower part of the rectus abdominis, which is the slath of muscle often covered with a layer of flab in the middle of your gut. When you make the effort to melt away that flab, you can unveil a slick set of ripples known collectively as a “six-pack.”

That requires a cutting cycle, but make sure you’re performing hanging knee raises in the meantime to ensure your abs are ready to reveal themselves when the day comes.

Related: 11 Forgotten Benefits Of Hanging

How to do Hanging Knee Raises

Here’s how to do hanging knee raises with the correct form:

• Reach up and grab a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet off the floor.
• Cross your ankles behind your body and move your knees outward to form a “V” shape.
• Pull your shoulder blades inward and down, and tighten your lats. Now suck your stomach in and slightly arch your back. This will keep your upper body still while you do the exercise.
• Move your knees upward until both are right by your chest. Hold it for a full second.
• Slowly lower your legs all the way back down and repeat.

Always be sure to keep your body as still as possible when doing a hanging knee raise. Momentum should never be used – you shouldn’t be swaying back and forth like a monkey. Trust me, you’ll look stupid.

Aim for quality, not quantity. A good set of 5 to 8 reps is way better than a set of 15 to 20 with sloppy form. Err on the side of more sets with fewer reps for best results.

Other exercises similar to hanging knee raises

If you don’t feel you have the grip strength to hang from a bar just yet, that’s ok. You can regress with a couple variations. The first thing you can do is use a captain’s chair. This is that apparatus that has forearm pads parallel to the floor and a padded backrest.

To do this exercise, step onto the supports, place your forearms on the pads and grip the handles with your back pressed against the vertical pad. Let your legs hang straight down toward the floor and pull your knees up.

Some of these machines have a BOSU attached to the back, which is a little more comfortable than the conventional style.

You can also lie face-up on a bench and grip the edges behind your head, then do knee pull-ins, which are like raises except from a horizontal position.

Taking Your Workouts to the Next Level

Now you know how to do hanging knee raises like a champ. But how well do you know your dietary needs? It makes sense that in order to get world class abs, you need to eat clean food. But you can also incorporate a few key supplements that can help you burn extra fat, do a few extra reps and recover faster.

In addition to your protein shakes, a good cutting stack from CrazyBulk would be just the ticket. This includes Anvarol, TestoMax, Clenbutrol and Win-Max.

By the end of a few short weeks, you’ll not only get prized abs, but you’ll also boost your overall gains. The newfound attention you end up getting will surely boost your confidence too.