Knee Raise Parallel Bars

Support your body on parallel bars and lift your knees toward your chest by flexing the hips and contracting the abdominals, primarily working the rectus abdominis and iliopsoas. Perform the movement with a controlled ascent and descent while maintaining a stable torso.

How to do the Knee Raise Parallel Bars#

  1. Grip the parallel bars and support your weight with arms locked or slightly bent so your legs hang freely.
  2. Brace your core and keep your torso steady before initiating the lift.
  3. Exhale and draw your knees up toward your chest by flexing at the hips, keeping the movement controlled.
  4. Pause briefly at the top with knees close to the torso.
  5. Inhale and lower your legs back to a full hang with a slow, controlled motion.

Muscles worked#

Common mistakes#

Track the Knee Raise Parallel Bars in Gript: your previous sets in view while you train, records detected automatically, and an estimated 1RM chart from every hard set.

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Frequently asked questions#

What muscles does the Knee Raise Parallel Bars work?

The Knee Raise Parallel Bars primarily works the abs, hip flexors. The obliques, quads, triceps, front delts assist as secondary muscles — they stabilise the movement and take over when the main target fatigues. If you feel it mostly in the obliques, quads, triceps, front delts, lighten the load and slow the lowering phase.

What equipment do I need for the Knee Raise Parallel Bars?

The Knee Raise Parallel Bars needs the following: Dip bars. Nothing beyond that is required to run the movement as described above.

Is the Knee Raise Parallel Bars suitable for beginners?

Not as one of your first exercises. The Knee Raise Parallel Bars is rated intermediate, so it suits lifters who already have a few months of consistent training behind them. Build the pattern on an easier variation first, then come back to it.

What are good alternatives to the Knee Raise Parallel Bars?

Captain's Chair Knee Raise, Leg Raise Parallel Bars, Ab Coaster all train the same primary muscles as the Knee Raise Parallel Bars. Pick whichever one matches the equipment in front of you.