Assisted Sit-Up

The assisted sit-up is a trunk flexion exercise performed with the feet anchored or held, which lets the hip flexors help the abdominals complete the range. It trains the rectus abdominis, and the assistance makes a full sit-up achievable for someone who cannot yet do one unsupported.

Targets: Rectus Abdominis
Also works: Obliques
Equipment: Assisted
Level: Beginner
Start with: 3 × 12-15, 45s rest

How to do it

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet anchored under a pad or held by a partner.
Cross your arms over your chest, or rest your fingertips lightly beside your ears without pulling.
Curl your head and shoulders off the floor first, rolling up one vertebra at a time.
Continue up until your torso is close to your thighs.
Lower back down with the same rolling motion, resisting the descent rather than dropping.

Form cues

Start each rep by curling the spine, not by hinging at the hips.
Keep your chin in a neutral position — a fist's gap between chin and chest is about right.
Breathe out as you rise; holding your breath is what makes the neck strain.

Common mistakes

Pulling on the back of the head with the hands, which strains the neck and does nothing for the abdominals.
Hinging straight up with a flat back, which makes the set almost entirely hip flexor work.
Dropping back down under gravity, discarding the half of the rep that the abdominals control.

Where this fits in a week

Dietly Fit scores one photo a week out of 100, names the area holding the score back, and builds the week around it — so a movement like this gets programmed when your rectus abdominis is what needs the work, not because it was next on a list.

More waist movements

Demonstration courtesy of Gym Visual. Sets and reps are a starting point, not a prescription. Speak to a qualified professional before starting a new exercise program, particularly if you are managing an injury or a health condition.