Exercise guide
Hanging Front Lever Raise
- Advanced
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
The Hanging Front Lever Raise is an elite calisthenics movement that builds exceptional core tension and upper body pulling strength by leveraging the lats and abdominals to lift the entire body. It is highly effective for developing a rigid 'hollow body' and functional lat power through a full range of motion.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Grip the pull-up bar with a shoulder-width, overhand (pronated) grip.
- Begin in a dead hang with your feet together and legs fully extended.
- Engage your lats by pulling your shoulder blades down and back into a depressed position.
- Tighten your core and glutes to create a rigid, straight-line body position from head to toe.
How to do it
- Keeping your arms perfectly straight, pull the bar down toward your hips to lift your entire body upward.
- Exhale as you raise your body until it is at least parallel to the floor, maintaining a completely straight line.
- Avoid any swinging or momentum; the movement should be slow and controlled by the lats and core.
- Inhale as you slowly lower your body back to the starting dead hang using a controlled 3-second eccentric tempo.
Form checklist
- Keep arms locked out straight; do not allow the elbows to bend during the pull.
- Maintain a hollow body position with a slight posterior pelvic tilt to prevent lower back arching.
- Ensure the movement is driven by the shoulders and lats rather than 'kicking' the legs up.
- Keep your neck neutral and your gaze fixed on the bar or slightly ahead.
Pro tips
- Imagine you are trying to break the bar in half by pulling your hands toward your hips to maximize lat and serratus engagement.
- Focus on 'pushing' the bar away from you as you rise to create the necessary leverage for the horizontal position.
- Squeeze your glutes and quads as hard as possible to turn your body into a single, unyielding lever.
Make it harder
- Incorporate a 3-second isometric hold at the peak horizontal position of each rep.
- Wear a weighted vest or ankle weights to increase the resistance and demand on the core and lats.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the hanging front lever raise work?
- The hanging front lever raise primarily targets the lats and trapezius, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the hanging front lever raise?
- The hanging front lever raise uses pull up bar.
- Is the hanging front lever raise good for beginners?
- The hanging front lever raise is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.