What's a reasonable starting dose for the hanging around-the-world?

You need a strict leg raise and a controlled wiper before linking them into a full circle. Start with 2 sets of 2 to 3 circles per direction, keeping the circle small and the bar grip constant, and grow the circle size before adding more reps.

What if I don't have a pull-up bar for the hanging around-the-world?

Gymnastics rings or a sturdy branch work the same way, since all you need is something overhead to hang from. Without anything to hang from, this specific circular pattern doesn't translate to the floor, so build the strict leg raise and wiper pieces lying down and add the full circle once a bar is available.

Who should attempt the hanging around-the-world, and who should hold off?

It's for advanced trainees who already own a strict hanging leg raise and side-to-side wiper and want continuous, all-angle core tension in one flowing movement. Hold off if you get any shoulder pinching in a dead hang, since there's no rest point in the circle to unload a joint that's already complaining.

Advanced

Hanging Around-the-World

This traces a full circle with the legs: up one side, across the top, and down the other, then reverse. It trains the entire abdominal wall through every angle of hip flexion and rotation in a single flowing rep. Because there is no rest point, the obliques and lower abs stay under constant tension while the grip and lats hold you steady. Reserve it for advanced trainees with a solid strict leg raise and wiper.

Equipment: Pull-Up Bar
Body part: Abs, Lats
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique, Lower Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace, Rotation

How to do it

1
Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip and set the lats to stabilize the shoulders.
2
Raise the straight legs up and out to one side to begin the circle.
3
Sweep the legs up and across the top of the arc toward the opposite side.
4
Lower them down the far side and back to center to complete one circle.
5
Reverse direction on the next rep, breathing steadily and avoiding any body swing.
6
Keep the circles smooth and continuous, then finish at a controlled dead hang.

Tips

Make the circles as large as your control allows, not as fast as you can spin.
Keep constant downward pull on the bar so the torso does not wobble.
Alternate starting direction each set so both rotational patterns get equal work.

Variations

Common mistakes

The legs bend at the knee partway through the circle to make the arc easier, shrinking the lever instead of building control over the full straight-leg sweep.
Spinning the circle fast to get through the hard middle section trades control for speed exactly where speed causes the most swing.
The grip on the bar loosens as the legs travel to the far side, letting the torso wobble and swing instead of staying anchored.
Only the easier rotational direction gets trained across sessions, leaving the reverse direction consistently weaker.
Chasing a bigger circle before the current size stays smooth and controlled just adds more uncontrolled swing to an already shaky pattern.

Frequently asked

What's a reasonable starting dose for the hanging around-the-world?: You need a strict leg raise and a controlled wiper before linking them into a full circle. Start with 2 sets of 2 to 3 circles per direction, keeping the circle small and the bar grip constant, and grow the circle size before adding more reps.
What if I don't have a pull-up bar for the hanging around-the-world?: Gymnastics rings or a sturdy branch work the same way, since all you need is something overhead to hang from. Without anything to hang from, this specific circular pattern doesn't translate to the floor, so build the strict leg raise and wiper pieces lying down and add the full circle once a bar is available.
Who should attempt the hanging around-the-world, and who should hold off?: It's for advanced trainees who already own a strict hanging leg raise and side-to-side wiper and want continuous, all-angle core tension in one flowing movement. Hold off if you get any shoulder pinching in a dead hang, since there's no rest point in the circle to unload a joint that's already complaining.

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