How to do the Sit Up II
CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate
The Sit Up II builds on the classic movement with greater demand on spinal flexion strength and muscular endurance, making it a true test of core development. Master this and you lay the foundation for every rotational and anti-extension challenge your training will throw at you.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back
Step-by-step
- Lie flat with knees bent, feet anchored, and arms crossed over your chest or extended overhead to increase resistance.
- Exhale sharply and contract your abs to curl your torso up, initiating the movement from your ribcage rather than your hip flexors.
- Rise until your upper body is fully upright and your chest is close to your thighs, maintaining a controlled curl throughout.
- Slowly lower back to the floor vertebra by vertebra, resisting gravity on the way down to maximize time under tension.
Common mistakes
- Yanking with the neck and arms to generate momentum — keep arms fixed and drive the movement purely from abdominal contraction.
- Sitting up in a stiff, flat-back motion instead of a true spinal curl — consciously round your lower back first then peel the upper back off the floor.
- Dropping back to the floor without control — the eccentric phase is where significant strength is built so lower deliberately over two to three seconds.
Pro tip — At the top of each rep, posteriorly tilt your pelvis and think about pulling your sternum toward your hip bones to achieve peak ab contraction before descending.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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