Toes-to-Bar

What you'll gain

• Trains trunk flexion and midline control through a very long range.

• Builds grip and forearm endurance as a by-product of the hang.

• Develops scapular control and shoulder stability under load.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Grip a pull-up bar slightly wider than shoulder width and hang with the arms straight.

2. 2

   Pull your shoulder blades down and back into an active hang and point your toes.

3. 3

   Push your palms into the bar so your head travels slightly behind your arms.

4. 4

   Brace hard and raise straight legs in front of you, keeping the ribs down.

5. 5

   Finish by driving the toes up to touch the bar between your hands.

6. 6

   Lower the legs under control to the hang without letting the body swing.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging into each rep, which replaces core work with momentum and destroys the hang position.

• Failing to set the shoulder blades before lifting, which leaves the scapulae unsupported under load.

• Bending the knees to reach the bar, which quietly turns the movement into a knee raise.

• Attempting it before straight-leg hanging raises are solid, which is where lower back strain comes from.

About This Exercise

Toes-to-bar is the top of the hanging leg-raise progression. From an active hang you pull back slightly on the bar, flex everything and drive straight legs up until the toes touch, then lower under control. The rectus abdominis and hip flexors are the prime movers with the lats, forearms and scapular stabilizers supporting, which puts the movement in intermediate to advanced territory. It sits above the bent-knee and straight-leg hanging raises on the progression ladder. In a product library this clip is what CrossFit and calisthenics apps come looking for, and it also anchors a progression ladder: pair it with hanging knee and leg raises so a program can route a user to the right step instead of prescribing a movement they cannot complete.

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