HANGING LEG RAISE   

Execution 

The body should hang freely, till it loses all its momentum and is perfectly still. The legs should be kept straight while lifting up. No momentum is to be provided by the upper body. Keeping the torso still, slowly bring the legs back to their initial position. The duration should be slow: 2-5 seconds up and 2-5 seconds down. Do 2-3 sets with 5 to 8 repetitions each with proper intervals. 

Points to be remembered 

1.        Keep the body absolutely still. 

2.        Hang freely till the body loses all its momentum. 

3.        The arm muscles should not be stressed while lifting and lowering the legs. 

4.        Reduce the speed as much as possible to achieve better results. 

5.        Raise your legs as high as possible but make sure that it does not go beyond 120   degrees.  Recommended angle is 90 degrees to your body.  

6.        While bringing the legs down, the initial position should not be reached whereas the crunch up should be started well before the starting position to ensure maximum squeeze to the lower belly parts. 

Advantages 

This exercise provides a complete abdominal workout. Both the upper and lower abdominal muscles are stressed equally to generate maximum strain and hence maximum reduction of belly fat is achieved. The free hanging of the body improves stability and posture while improving spinal strength. The higher and slower the legs are raised, the more the abdominal muscles are contracted. This generates more tension in the abs and reduces the belly fat. The variations of this exercise are tough when compared to conventional crunches. But with constant execution, this exercise trains the core abdominal muscles to a greater extent than the other methods. The only equipment needed is a horizontal bar and no other special equipments are necessary.

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