Video Demonstration
Use this move to help develop an iron core and give your back a mild workout at the same time.
The Hanging Pike exercise is a calisthenics compound movement.
It gets classified under the pulling training category. It is also commonly referred to as Hanging Leg Raises.
Read on to find out how you perform the movement with image/video examples and a written step by step description.
Its difficulty level and the equipment you will need to do it. The different muscle that it works, its benefits and some training tips to help you.
Hanging Pike How to Guide
Image Example
Step by Step Description
Step 1: Grab onto a chin-up bar using an overhand grip (palms facing away from your body) your hands should use a shoulder width to slightly than wider shoulder-width grip. Move your legs, knees, and feet together side by side.
Step 2: Put a small bend in your knees. Have your body in almost a straight line from your hands holding the bar to your feet.
You are now in the starting position.
Step 3: Exhale and pull your legs forward until the shins are almost touching the pull-up bar above you. Do this by flexing at your hips and drawing your legs straight up.
Step 4: Inhale and lower your legs in a slow and controlled movement back to the starting position. You have now completed one repetition.
Step 5: Repeat this movement for the desired number of repetitions.
Difficulty Level
This movement is an advanced exercise and has an intermediate fitness level rating.
Equipment Required
To do this exercise, you will need a pull-up bar.
Muscles Worked
The primary muscle targeted by the Hanging Leg Raise are your Abdominals.
The secondary muscles involved are your Lats, Lower Back, Quadriceps, and your Hip Flexors.
Benefits
Developing a strong core is shown to reduce the chance of receiving a back injury when performing your daily tasks.
Muscle imbalances in your core are a contributing factor in back pain for many people. Removing any muscle imbalances you have can reduce back pain and in some instances remove it completely.
The Hanging Pike works every major muscle in your abdominals (rectus abdominous, and external obliques).
When you are in the hanging position, it will provide a good stretch to the spine. At the same time, when you perform it it works many of the muscles required for proper spinal posture.
The streching to your lower body can help to improve flexibility and agility of your hamstrings.
Unlike planks, this exercise uses a strong concentric (raising your legs) and eccentric (lowering your legs) phases giving your abs the greatest degree of muscular stimulation.
Training Tips
Do not swing your body when doing this exercise. Doing this builds momentum to move your body and reduces or removes the amount of work done by the abs.
If you are having issues holding onto the pull-up bar for long enough to do the exercise you can use wrist straps.
Keep your legs locked with the slight bend at your knees when performing the movement.
If you want to increase the difficulty of this exercise you can strap weighted cuffs to your ankles.
If you find that this exercise is too difficult for you, then you should try using the simpler knee variation. For this variation, you will put a 90-degree bend in your knees and perform a crunch while holding the pull-up bar by pulling your knees up.
If it is still too difficult, you can carry out the version where you pull your legs up until the thighs are parallel to the floor (Hanging Knee Tucks). Hold this raised position for 3 to 5 seconds and return to the hanging position.
Inclosing
The Hanging Pike is an advanced calisthenics exercise. You should have a strong core before attempting to add it to your training routine.
While the exercise uses a simple movement pattern, you need to focus on your technique when performing it. Having a poor technique increases your chance of a back or shoulder injury.
If you cannot do this movement yet, keep practicing with the knee lift variations outlined in the Training Tips section above.
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