Best Pull-Up Bar Abs Exercises
With these difficult hanging movements, your abs will become stronger and more defined.
Hundreds of crunches won’t give you a rock-hard six-pack, and doing hundreds of soft dumbbell curls won’t give you biceps that bulge. To build functional and physically appealing abs, treat this misunderstood muscle category the same way you would any other: attack it from different angles with a variety of rep ranges and movement patterns to engage and challenge as many muscle fibres as possible, causing them to grow back stronger.
To efficiently work your abs, exercise them until they begin to cramp and you can feel the muscles burning; this indicates that you are working them hard enough. When they start cramping, stop in place and take three deep breaths, then try to do as many extra reps as you can. Put these moves to the test and watch your abs develop.
Here’s the list. You’re welcome.
1. Toes to Bar
Difficulty: Pretty Hard
Works: Entire Core
Technique: Hang with your legs straight from a bar. Raise your feet into your hands while keeping your chest up and bracing your abs and glutes. Maintain abs tension as you return your feet to the starting spot, then repeat, keeping each rep smooth and coordinated with minimal jerking up and down.
Reps: 6–8
2. Windscreen Wiper
Difficulty: Pretty Hard
Works: Entire Core
Technique: Hang with your legs straight from a bar. Raise your knees into your hands while keeping your chest up and bracing your abs and glutes. Drop your feet to one side, then back up to the other side, holding your abs fully braced and legs straight. Maintain as much smoothness and power as possible during each rep.
Reps: 6–8
3. Leg Raises
Difficulty: Medium
Works: Lower Core
Technique: Hang with your legs straight from a bar. Keep your chest up and your abs and glutes braced as you raise your feet to hip height while keeping your legs straight. Pause for a second, then return your feet to the starting position.
Reps: 8–12
4. Knee Lifts
Difficulty: Medium
Works: Lower Core
Technique: Begin with your abs engaged at the top of the hanging knee raise position. Draw the knees up as high as possible while maintaining abs tension. Maintain stress in the body as you return to the starting spot.
These final three harder moves not only work your abs, but they also put your grip strength to the test because you must keep your entire body strong and steady for the duration of each rep. If you lose your grip until you notice your abs being worked, use straps to hold your hands locked in place so you can complete your reps.
Reps: 8–12
5. Garhammer Raise
Difficulty: Easy
Works: Lower Core
Technique: Begin with your abs engaged at the top of the hanging knee raise position. Draw your knees up higher and closer to your chest while maintaining abs tension. Return to the starting point while keeping your abs engaged. Since the movement range is minimal, this is a high-rep exercise, but your abs should be cramping by the end of the set.
Reps: 15+
6. Knee Raise With Twist
Difficulty: Easy
Works: Obliques
Technique: Begin with your abs engaged at the top of the hanging knee raise position. Draw your knees up higher and closer to your chest while maintaining abs tension. Return to the starting point while keeping your abs engaged. Since the movement range is minimal, this is a high-rep exercise, but your abs should be cramping by the end of the set.
Reps: 10–20
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