Primary
Core
Secondary
Hip flexors, Lats, Grip
Equipment
Pull Up Bar
Difficulty
Advanced
Type
Pull
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The example below shows one possible placement. Your purchased plan is built from your assessment, and Ely checks every exercise before approving it.
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This page is not medical advice or a rehabilitation protocol. Ely's personal review applies to purchased workout plans and does not replace an in-person assessment by a licensed healthcare professional.
Toes-to-bar is an advanced hanging ab movement where you swing your legs up until your toes contact the bar. Popular in CrossFit, this exercise can be performed strictly or with a kipping motion. Both versions require significant core, grip, and lat strength.
When to use it
Use for advanced ab training for optimal results.
Who it's for
Advanced lifters seeking to maximize strength gains.
Hang from the bar and engage your lats to create tension. Use your core to swing your legs up, touching your toes to the bar. The strict version uses pure ab strength; the kipping version uses momentum from a gymnastic swing. Lower with control to minimize swinging.
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Hang from a pull-up bar.
Engage your core and lats.
Swing your legs up to touch the bar.
Touch your toes to the bar.
Lower with control for optimal results.
Use a slight kip if needed.
Start with hanging leg raises.
Use lat engagement to assist.
Can be strict or kipping.
Touch bar consistently.
Use toes-to-bar when you have mastered hanging leg raises and want to progress further. They are a staple in CrossFit training and gymnastics conditioning. Build up through knee raises and leg raises before attempting full toes-to-bar.
All momentum, no control.
Bouncing or using momentum during the Toes to Bar makes the movement harder to control and can shift work away from your Rectus abdominis. Use a load you can move smoothly through the intended range.
Not actually touching bar.
On an upper-body pulling movement like the Toes to Bar, this mistake can shift work away from your Rectus abdominis. Keep your torso stable and guide the load through the intended pulling path.
No lat engagement for optimal results.
On an upper-body pulling movement like the Toes to Bar, this mistake can shift work away from your Rectus abdominis. Keep your torso stable and guide the load through the intended pulling path.
Advanced lifters seeking to maximize strength gains.
These ranges illustrate ways to organize training. They are not an individual prescription. Adjust them for the exercise, your experience, and the rest of your program.
Heavier loads can be useful for developing maximum strength. The range shown is an example, and the load must match your current technique and capacity.
Muscle growth can occur across different loads and repetition ranges. This example is not a uniquely effective zone; your overall program and effort also matter.
This is an example of a longer set. A repetition target alone does not establish joint safety or whether the exercise is appropriate for you.
Example: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps. Rest 90s.
Background for resistance exercises: the 2026 ACSM position stand covers healthy adults, and a load-comparison review found similar muscle growth across loads in studies using sets taken to muscular failure. These findings do not validate every exercise-specific range shown here or require training to failure.
This is one example of how Toes to Bar could sit inside a complete workout. Your plan may use different movements after Ely checks your assessment.
Sample workout
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Frequently Asked Questions About the Toes to Bar
The Toes to Bar primarily targets the Rectus abdominis, Hip flexors, making it an effective exercise for core development. Secondary muscles worked during the Toes to Bar include Lats, Grip, providing additional training stimulus. Stabilizer muscles engaged include Shoulders.
Our library labels Toes to Bar as advanced. That category is not an individual assessment. Review the setup, movement instructions, and safety notes, and seek qualified guidance if you are unsure how to perform it.
The programming section shows examples for Toes to Bar. The appropriate amount depends on your current ability, the exercise, and your other training. The listed ranges are not an individual prescription or a guarantee of a particular outcome.
The main equipment listed for Toes to Bar is a pull up bar. Check the instructions for any additional support, anchor, bench, rack, or clear space needed. The equipment label alone does not confirm that your home setup is suitable.
Good alternatives to the Toes to Bar include: Hanging Leg Raise, Knees to Elbows. These exercises target similar muscle groups as the Toes to Bar and can be used as substitutes based on your equipment availability, gym setup, or training preferences.