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Exercise guide
Sit-Ups
A classic abdominal exercise with a full range of motion.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- hip flexors · rectus abdominis · obliques
- Goals
- hypertrophy · endurance
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Strength
- Difficulty
- beginner
Demonstration
Step 1
Step 2
How to perform the movement
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet anchored.
- Cross your arms over your chest or place hands behind your head.
- Sit all the way up until your torso is upright.
- Lower back down with control.
- Repeat.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Avoid pulling on your neck when your hands are behind your head.
- Roll up through the spine rather than jerking with momentum.
- Exhale on the way up to reinforce the abdominal contraction.