Hanging Leg Raises

If you’ve harboured the dream of living in the body of a Greek god, there is no way you can erase the hanging leg raises from your work out regime. An exhilarating exercise that often transforms into an addiction, hanging leg raises have survived the test of time. Over several decades, this exercise regime has been employed by sportsmen, actors and models elucidating their flawlessly rugged appearances. Reading beyond what appeals to the eye, the consequential growth of abs signify superior health and facilitates better performance in sports and life in general! Along with your abs, it fortifies your ‘latissimus dorsi’ (lats) and lower back muscles. Hanging leg raises, at the initial stage greatly increase one’s ability to grip and control body weight. As you progress, you shall soon discover the development of slender forearm muscles.

Do not forget the wise saying- “Slow and steady wins the race” whilst working on your abs. Impatience and hastiness will shatter all your bodybuilding aspirations. One day at a time, step by step and breath by breath, a chiselled set of drool-worthy six pack abs will be all yours (and the next lucky person you grant access to)! Now that you’re aware of some of the marvellous benefits that hanging leg raises provide, here are quick and easy guidelines on how to perform them.

Requirements

This exercise comes hand in hand with a chin-up bar. You can acquire a ‘chin up bar for home’ from any sports and aerobics store, after which you are bestowed with the comfort of working out at your own home.

Firstly, grab the chin up bar using an overhand grip and gently hang from it. Ensure that your arms are held straight and shoulder-width apart. Stabilize shoulder blades and arms.

Take a deep breath and calmly tighten your abs and later tuck them in. Relieve your spinal cord of any strain. Your shoulders must be well distanced from your ears.
Step Three
It is suggested that beginners bend their knees (about 15 degrees) and raise their thighs towards their chests. Gymnasts from the intermediate level should raise their legs straight till mid body. The advanced workout stage demands you to raise your legs with absolutely no bending and as high as possible. Your lower back must be stress-free and to some extent rounded.
Step Four
Get into the rhythm as you curve up your pelvis. When you curl your lower body upwards, you are using your abs muscles to provide a special thrust. Lift your legs to your highest capacity. Freeze for a few seconds while holding this position and slowly return to the preliminary position. Upbeat background music generally helps maintain your rhythm.

Repeat these to and fro movements 15-20 times without stopping. Further, you can extend this abdominal exercise until fatigue gets the better of you. Be gentle and slow while you do the movements. Once you are adapted to the pressure, gradually increase the level of raising your leg. More number of repetitions helps in facilitating an intensive workout.  

 

Perform these steps on a regular basis. Try not to skip more than once a week. No doubt its level of difficulty and pain put off many from continuation. But it is worth every ounce of sweat. If you carry on this regime routinely and whole-heartedly, there will be no regrets. Infact, you’ll be grinning away at your reflection and your propensity to bag a date as well!