TETSU

Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs vs Roller Body Saw

The Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs and the Roller Body Saw both train the abs as their primary muscle. The Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs is bodyweight-based (a bar, rings or a station) while the Roller Body Saw uses a roller. Here is how they compare and when to pick each.

Head to head

Side-by-side comparison

Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee LegsRoller Body Saw
Primary muscleabsabs
Body partwaistwaist
Supporting musclesshoulders and backshoulders, triceps and core
Equipmentbodyweightroller
Steps in our guide44
Setup

How each one starts

Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs — first steps

  1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
  2. Engage your core and lift your knees towards your chest, bringing them as close to your elbows as possible.

Roller Body Saw — first steps

  1. Start in a plank position with your forearms on the roller and your body in a straight line.
  2. Engage your core and slowly roll the roller forward, extending your body as far as you can while maintaining control.

Full step-by-step guides are linked below.

Decision

Which should you choose?

The Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs needs only a sturdy bar, rings or a station and scales through leverage, tempo and reps. If your gym has both options, neither is a wrong choice: pick the one that feels strongest through a full range, and swap after 6 to 8 weeks to keep the abs adapting.

Guides

Full form guides

Answers

Common questions

Is the Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs better than the Roller Body Saw?

Neither is universally better — both train the abs as the primary mover. The Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs needs only a sturdy bar, rings or a station and scales through leverage, tempo and reps, while the Roller Body Saw offers a different stimulus. Choose based on your equipment and which movement you can progress consistently.

Can I do both the Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs and the Roller Body Saw in the same program?

Yes, but usually not in the same session — they overlap heavily on the abs. A common setup is one as your main movement and the other on a second training day, or alternating them block by block.

Do the Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs and the Roller Body Saw work the same muscles?

The primary muscle is the same: the abs. Supporting muscles differ slightly — shoulders and back for the Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs versus shoulders, triceps and core for the Roller Body Saw.

Track it in Tetsu

Tetsu tracks both movements separately, keeps your PRs per exercise, and tells you which one is actually progressing. Free to start.