Hanging and forearm-supported hanging leg raises involve the iliopsoas, the rectus femoris, and the pectineus in hip flexion and the rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles in spinal flexion. In this action you raise your legs, either held straight or bent, toward your trunk from the vertical position. When your legs get past 45-60 degrees of upward motion, your pelvic girdle begins to rotate posteriorly, that is, your iliac crests move backward and your lower pelvis moves forward and upward to assist in continuing to raise your legs.
