Hanging Leg Raises - Is there an alternative?

CroSpartacus

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I've started the Wendler "Boring But Big" program, but I am having trouble with the hanging leg raises. I can only get legs to the bar straight for just 3 reps and I felt a tear on my quads. This was after my deadlifts so I don't know if I should have waited longer for my muscle to cool off or stretch out before I attempted the leg raises.


Is there an alternative to hanging leg raises that I can do that can help me with it?
 
If you can't get enough reps with the full range of motion, you can try bringing your legs up until they are parallel with the ground or doing knee-ups. Incline sit-ups are also good.
 
What the hell? You leg raise til your legs touch the bar? As in the bar you're hanging from?

I thought anything above parallel to floor was good ROM. I don't think my legs are flexible enough to go much higher than slightly above parallel if I keep them completely straight.
 
I've never put much effort into getting all the way up to the bar. I just lift my legs and give them a good heave, that seems to get the job done. You're fine, bro.
 
I've never put much effort into getting all the way up to the bar. I just lift my legs and give them a good heave, that seems to get the job done. You're fine, bro.

This is why you're fat.
 
i always do hanging leg raises up to the bar but not usally after deadlifts i think you should just shuffle th order of some of your routine.
 
I used to them but now my shoulder hurts in this hanging position.. don't know anything that is as efficient as the leg raise... Actually felt those after every workout. Any proper alternatives ?
 
I used to them but now my shoulder hurts in this hanging position.. don't know anything that is as efficient as the leg raise... Actually felt those after every workout. Any proper alternatives ?

Standing ab wheel roll-outs.
Decline weighted sit-ups.
 
Resurrecting an old thread but have a relevant question.

When doing leg raises with straight legs, what is the correct role of the quads, and is it normal for them to be a limiting factor?

Similarly to the OP, when doing straight leg raises, I feel a strong pull and tension in one of my quads after a few reps, even though I feel my abs/hips can take more. And I'm only going to just above parallel. Obviously not a problem with bent leg raises or knee ups, which is what sometimes happens - half set straight, half set bent.

Also if I stand with both legs completely straight, and try to raise one in front, I can't hold/maintain it at a parallel 90degree angle without support. It's fine if rested on something, but if not it hurts the quads, rather than pulling on the hamstrings (which are usually a lil tight). So is the issue weak quads, or tight hamstrings/groin, or both?
 
How's your lower back? Are you arching it or rounding it? I think that if you round the lower back (tuck the tailbone), it's easier to raise your legs higher than parallel.
 
Yeah I'm rounding my lower back, which does allow me to go above parallel for a few reps (about 5, give or take), but only if I do the movement explosively, thereby using some momentum. If I do them slow and strict I struggle to get past parallel.

And either way, by about the 6-8th rep I'll feel it in the quads and struggle to keep my legs straight, and revert to bent legged, then eventually knee-ups.
 
Here's another comparison.. Say you do a front kick, keeping your leg straight as high as you can go without really pushing it or risking pulling something. Now try to do it in slow-mo. Obvisouly, you won't get as high.

But for me I feel it in my quads, like they're trying to pull my leg up. Is this right, or should the limiting factor be hamstring flexibility, or some other flexibility issue as opposed to strength?
 
Uhm... I am not sure that I follow you but it sounds like its is your hip flexors. Does just one leg hurt or both?
 
Uhm... I am not sure that I follow you but it sounds like its is your hip flexors. Does just one leg hurt or both?

Both really. My original question stemmed from doing leg raises however I'll using the front kick/raise example instead since I can do that at home.

I just tried it again - basically, keeping both standing and kicking leg straight, and without taking a step, if I just kick one leg up in front of me I can just break parallel. However, if I try to do it in slow-mo, I can't even reach parallel. Now, if I swing it up to parallel, then try to hold it there at that height, my quadricep kinda hurts/gets tight and my leg falls back down.

And that's the feeling I get during striaght leg raises after a few reps.


So to sum up (in case you're thinking, what's my point), I was wondering whether this is normal or whether I have an issue. And if so, whether the cause is tightness/inflexibility, or lack of quad strength. So I can subsequently address the issue by stretching/strengthening the issue part.

If this is just one of those individual things that I just have to try and see what works then fair enough I'll do that, but just wanted to see if this was a common issue if anyone had similar experiences.

I'm currently just starting to stretch my hamstrings everyday anyway as I think they're tighter than they should be and I'm hoping that will help me squat deeper and prevent tail tuck.
 
I was wondering whether this is normal or whether I have an issue. And if so, whether the cause is tightness/inflexibility, or lack of quad strength. So I can subsequently address the issue by stretching/strengthening the issue part.

You have both tightness and a lack of strength.
Barbell Reverse Lunges or Bulgarian Squats with a moderately light weight for about 15 reps after your main exercise program.

It would be a good idea to add in some quad stretching into your daily stretching. Even better if you could do some foam roller work.
 
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