6 Best Hanging Knee Raise Alternative Exercises for Men 

It's always beneficial to know about hanging knee raise alternative exercises. First, you may not have access to equipment or machines that allow you to do hanging knee raises.

Second, you may not have the core strength to do exercises such as hanging raises. However, hanging knee raise alternative exercises enable you to develop the core strength required to perform the advanced version of the workout.

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Hanging Knee Raise Alternative Exercises

Here's a look at six hanging knee raise alternative exercises men can do to focus on their core strength and build muscles;

1) Lying Knee Raise

Lying knee raises and hanging knee raises work the same core muscles, but the latter work on the forearms too.

To do a lying knee raise, lie on a mat with your hands beside your upper body, with legs extended and back straight. Next, pull your knees towards yourself using your abdominal muscles till the thighs and upper body are at a right angle, and the calves are parallel to the floor.

When you lower the legs, stretch them completely till they’re fully extending and in the starting position.

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2) Bicycle Kick

Hanging knee raise alternative exercises usually require both legs to move at the same time. However, bicycle kicks allow you to do the same motion but with one leg at a time.

You need to go into the same position as lying knee raise, and slightly raise your upper body. Next, pull in one leg at a time in a bicycle motion. You have to keep it in continuous motion. So as the right knee comes in, the left leg extends itself and vice versa. Constant movement is what keeps the pressure on the core muscles.

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3) Bench Jack knife

You can do jack knives on the floor as well. This exercise allow you to engage the core muscles more.

To do bench jack knives, sit on the bench. and extend your legs outwards. Keeping your upper body slightly upwards, hold the two sides of the bench with your palms.

Your upper body should move towards your knees as your knees move inwards, creating a continuous motion. It’s important to keep the hips stable during this exercise and use the core muscles to pull the muscle groups together.

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4) Deadbug

Deadbug is a great alternative to hanging knee raise. You can work on your entire core muscles while allowing your mind to navigate the coordination. You can read the guide on how to do the deadbug here.

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5) Lying Leg Raise

As this is a hanging knee raise alternative, the lying leg raise is a common exercise.

To do the exercise, lie on a mat with your palms under your hips (tail bone), and use that as a lever. Keep your legs straight, and raise them upwards using your abdominal muscles.

When you’re lowering it, control the negative, and slowly lower your legs till they’re slightly above the ground.

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6) Oblique Crunch

Hanging knee raises work on the obliques. However, as alternatives are usually on the ground, you may need to add oblique crunches to your workout routine to ensure that the obliques get worked on.

To do oblique crunches, lie on the mat, with your legs folded from the knees and feet firmly on the ground. Keep your right hand beside you and left hand behind your head. Pull yourself towards the right using your obliques, ensuring you’re not pushing your head forward. It’s important to engage the core muscles for this exercise and maintain a muscle-mind connection.

Otherwise, the body’s momentum can take over rather easily, impacting the entire exercise.

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Bottom Line

It’s important to work on your core strength and develop the muscles. These muscles help with a series of compound exercises, such as barbell rows, squats, bench press, and others.

You must never skip doing core exercises, and always begin with the foundation exercises. It's best to incorporate the hanging knee raise alternative exercises slowly and steadily.