Sit-Up
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them. Your legs should be bent at the knees.
- 2Place your hands behind your head and lock them together by clasping your fingers. This is the starting position.
- 3Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs. Breathe out when performing this part of the exercise.
- 4Once you feel the contraction for a second, lower your upper body back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- 5Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Sit-Up
The sit-up means going from lying down to sitting up by curling the whole trunk, then lowering under control. More complete than the crunch, it works the rectus abdominis through its full length, but also brings in the hip flexors, especially if the feet are anchored. To target the abs more, curl the spine rather than rising in one rigid block, and keep a slow tempo. It is a classic accessible to beginners, as long as you protect the lower back by avoiding jerks and momentum.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleWorks the rectus abdominis through a full range of motion
- check_circleRequires no equipment, doable on a simple mat
- check_circleImproves coordination between the trunk and hip flexors
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbCurl the spine up gradually instead of rising as one block
- lightbulbKeep the feet anchored and knees bent for stability
- lightbulbExhale on the way up and squeeze the abs throughout
- lightbulbLower vertebra by vertebra instead of dropping back
warningCommon mistakes
- warningPulling on the neck with the hands behind the head
- warningRising as one rigid block without curling the trunk
- warningDropping back suddenly without controlling the descent
- warningOverusing the hip flexors instead of the abs
helpFrequently asked questions
Sit-up or crunch, which should I pick?expand_more
The crunch isolates the abs with less back involvement, while the sit-up works a fuller range.
Is it bad for the lower back?expand_more
With bent knees and a controlled tempo it stays safe; shorten the range if you feel lower-back discomfort.
Should I anchor my feet?expand_more
With anchored feet you sit up more easily, but the hip flexors take a large share of the work. With free feet the effort falls more on the abs: prefer that version to target the midsection.
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