Toes-to-bar

What is a toes-to-bar?

Toes-to-bar brings both feet up to a pull-up bar from a hang. This guide teaches the kipping version: a controlled swing leads into a leg raise and contact with the bar, followed by a return to the hang.

Exercise illustration: Straight-arm hang and both feet raised to the bar between the hands.

How do you perform a toes-to-bar?

Set up

Choose a secure bar with room for your feet to swing and a clear landing area. Use a box to reach it if needed.
Take an overhand grip around shoulder width, with thumbs around the bar. Hang with straight arms and keep your shoulders engaged.

Execution

Start a small swing by moving between a gentle arch and a hollow shape, keeping the motion controlled at the shoulders.
As you move into the hollow position, push down on the bar and lift your knees toward your chest. Extend your legs to bring both toes to the bar between your hands.
Guide your feet down and back into the next small arch without letting the return pull you into a loose swing.
After the last repetition, reduce the swing before releasing the bar into the clear landing area.

Common mistakes

Throwing the feet up from an uncontrolled swing
Reset in a hang and use a smaller swing or knee raise.
Losing your grip on the return
End the set while you still have control of the bar and your landing.

Where it fits in a session

Practice this movement while you can control the required positions and finish each repetition deliberately.

Use small sets with a repeatable return to the hang. Reaching the bar once does not establish that you can link repetitions safely.

Muscles worked

Front

Back

Primary

Secondary

None listed in this guide

Schematic surface view. Some muscles are partly visible or not shown.

Variations

Hanging leg raiseRaises the legs from a controlled hang without a deliberate kip.
Strict toes-to-bar — Reaches the bar without a swing; the change in execution should be recorded separately.

Frequently asked questions

How can I scale toes-to-bar?

Use controlled hanging knee raises or raise your feet only as high as you can return smoothly. Practise the small swing separately before combining it with the leg raise.

Does every repetition have to be kipping?

No. Strict toes-to-bar removes the swing. This guide teaches the kipping version, so use a separate entry when tracking strict repetitions.

Sources

Betts et al. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-4-axial-muscles-of-the-abdominal-wall-and-thorax
Betts et al. Anatomy and Physiology 2e. OpenStax, 2022. https://openstax.org/books/anatomy-and-physiology-2e/pages/11-6-appendicular-muscles-of-the-pelvic-girdle-and-lower-limbs