Exercise guide
Ring Hanging Knees To Elbows
- Advanced
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Shoulders
- Upper legs
- Waist
This advanced core movement leverages the instability of gymnastic rings to maximize recruitment of the rectus abdominis and obliques through a deep posterior pelvic tilt. It builds exceptional midline stability and functional pulling strength by forcing the core to stabilize the body against the free-moving rings.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Adjust the rings to a height that allows for a full hang with your arms extended and feet off the floor.
- Grip the rings firmly with a neutral or overhand grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Assume a dead hang position with 'active' shoulders, pulling your shoulder blades down away from your ears.
How to do it
- Exhale as you pull your knees toward your chest, curling your pelvis upward until your knees make physical contact with your elbows.
- Pause for a split second at the peak of the contraction, squeezing your abdominals hard.
- Inhale as you slowly lower your legs back to the starting position, maintaining core tension to prevent your body from swinging.
- Maintain a controlled tempo, typically 1 second for the ascent and 2 seconds for the descent.
Form checklist
- Keep your shoulders depressed and active; do not let your head sink into your shoulders.
- Avoid using momentum or 'kipping' with your legs to initiate the lift.
- Ensure your pelvis actually tilts upward at the top to fully engage the rectus abdominis.
- Keep the rings steady and close to your body to prevent unnecessary swaying.
Pro tips
- Think about 'curling' your spine into a ball rather than just lifting your legs to shift the focus from the hip flexors to the abs.
- Squeeze the rings as hard as possible to create 'irradiation,' which increases neural drive and stabilizes the shoulder joint.
Make it harder
- Increase the eccentric phase to 4 seconds to maximize time under tension.
- Progress to 'Rings Toes-to-Bar' by keeping your legs completely straight throughout the entire range of motion.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the ring hanging knees to elbows work?
- The ring hanging knees to elbows primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the lats, serratus anterior, and trapezius as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the ring hanging knees to elbows?
- The ring hanging knees to elbows uses rings.
- Is the ring hanging knees to elbows good for beginners?
- The ring hanging knees to elbows is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.