How many reps of the McGill curl-up should a beginner do?

Three sets of six to eight reps per side, holding each for seven to ten seconds, is a common starting dose, switching which knee is bent between sets. Progress by extending the hold toward ten seconds rather than adding many more reps, since this is built as an endurance and bracing drill, not a max-effort crunch.

How do you make the McGill curl-up easier or harder?

To make it easier, lift only the head and keep the shoulders down until the low-back position feels steady and controlled. To make it harder, hold the lifted position longer in five-second increments, or add a light weight held against the chest once the basic hold is solid.

What is the McGill curl-up good for, and when is it not the right pick?

It is one of McGill's big three, building trunk bracing endurance while keeping the lumbar spine neutral, and it suits people with a cranky back who still need core work. It is a poor choice during a flare of acute low-back pain where any spinal loading is irritating, or as a substitute for medical guidance on an existing back condition.

Beginner

McGill Curl-Up

One of Stuart McGill's big three, the curl-up trains the abdominals to stay stiff and protective while keeping the lumbar spine in a safe neutral. Hands support the low back and only one knee is bent, so you lift the head and shoulders a hair off the floor and hold, building endurance rather than crunching. It is ideal for anyone with a cranky back who still needs a strong, braced trunk.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs
Type: Functional, Strength
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Lie on your back with one knee bent and foot flat, the other leg straight.
2
Slide both hands palm-down under the natural arch of your low back for support.
3
Set your chin gently and lift your head, shoulders, and upper chest just a few centimeters off the floor.
4
Keep the low back still on your hands; do not flatten or flex the spine.
5
Hold the braced position for seven to ten seconds while breathing.
6
Lower under control, then repeat and switch which knee is bent between sets.

Tips

The lift is tiny; imagine your head and shoulders are one rigid unit with the ribs.
Do not tuck the chin to your chest or pull with the neck; keep it long.
Keep breathing during the hold rather than bracing against held breath.

Variations

Common mistakes

The low back flattens into the floor during the lift instead of staying propped on the natural arch the hands are there to preserve.
The straight leg lifts slightly off the floor as the torso curls, adding hip flexor work the drill is not meant to test.
Skipping the switch between which knee is bent leaves one side of the trunk always working from a slightly different setup.
Once the elbows flare wide and press into the floor, the arms start assisting the lift instead of the trunk staying one rigid unit.
The hold gets cut to two or three seconds instead of the full seven to ten, so the position never becomes a real endurance test.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the McGill curl-up should a beginner do?: Three sets of six to eight reps per side, holding each for seven to ten seconds, is a common starting dose, switching which knee is bent between sets. Progress by extending the hold toward ten seconds rather than adding many more reps, since this is built as an endurance and bracing drill, not a max-effort crunch.
How do you make the McGill curl-up easier or harder?: To make it easier, lift only the head and keep the shoulders down until the low-back position feels steady and controlled. To make it harder, hold the lifted position longer in five-second increments, or add a light weight held against the chest once the basic hold is solid.
What is the McGill curl-up good for, and when is it not the right pick?: It is one of McGill's big three, building trunk bracing endurance while keeping the lumbar spine neutral, and it suits people with a cranky back who still need core work. It is a poor choice during a flare of acute low-back pain where any spinal loading is irritating, or as a substitute for medical guidance on an existing back condition.

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