Sit ups are one of the most popular core exercises, but they are also the most mistakenly executed. It looks like a simple exercise, but if not performed properly then you won’t be targeting the appropriate muscles.

We’ve given you a breakdown of how to perform a sit up, along with key technique pointers that will help to make sure your technique is spot on.

Sit Up Step By Step Guide

• Begin by lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees pointing up. Your feet should be hips width apart and close to your body. If you struggle to keep your feet flat during the movement, you can use a Sit Up Bar to keep your feet planted.

• Brace your core by pushing your lower back into the floor and squeezing your stomach muscles.

• There are two places you can put your hands: Hold them across your chest in an X shape, or place your hands by your temples and bend your elbows.

• Inhale and on the exhale rise until your chest reaches your knees. Continue to keep your core braced. If you’re a beginner, start by just lifting your head and shoulders off the floor until your strength improves.

• Pause for a moment at the top, then lower down in a controlled motion until you are lying down.

Top Sit Up Technique Tips

Along with this, another common mistake when performing sit ups is people use their arms to lift themselves up. If you are placing your hands by your temples, then your elbows should stay in line with your ears. This stops you from using momentum instead of your core muscles.

How to Progress Your Sit Up

Use a Sit Up Bench

One way to increase the difficulty of a sit up is by increasing your range of motion using a Sit Up Bench. These benches can be set to decline so that you begin with your upper body lower than your feet, increasing the distance you have to use your core muscles to lift up.

Add a Weight

Another progression is to include a weight. Adding resistance to an exercise is always a sure-fire way of increasing the difficulty. You can do so by holding the weight across your chest or make it even harder by holding the weight overhead. You can use a dumbbell or kettlebell to perform this exercise.

Include Variations

There are a range of variations of the push up that will make it a harder exercise. Try including a twist at the top of the movement. When you get to the top, twist one elbow towards the knees, then repeat on the opposite side.

Sit ups can be a useful exercise to build core strength and improve stability, especially if they’re done correctly. Plus, there’s nothing like feeling the burn of an ab workout.

Written by guest author Eryn Barber.

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Tags: Exercise Type > Conditioning