How heavy a medicine ball should you use for the V-up when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 4 to 6 pounds for 3 sets of 8 reps. Only add weight once you can keep the low back from arching on every rep, since the ball works more as a lever than as pure resistance.

What can you hold instead of a medicine ball for this V-up?

A light dumbbell gripped with both hands or a weight plate held at the edges both work, or drop the load entirely and do the bodyweight V-up.

What is the medicine ball V-up good for?

It loads both ends of the rectus abdominis at once for more advanced strength and hypertrophy work, suited to lifters who've outgrown the bodyweight V-up. It's a poor choice for anyone who still arches the low back in a bodyweight V-up, since adding weight overhead only magnifies that fault.

Intermediate

Medicine Ball V-Up

The medicine ball V-up loads both ends of the rectus abdominis at once as you fold the torso and legs together into a V. Holding the ball overhead lengthens the lever and adds weight, so the abs must work far harder than in a bodyweight V-up. Some lifters pass the ball from hands to feet at the top for an added coordination challenge. Keep the low back from arching as you extend to protect the spine.

Equipment: Medicine Ball
Body part: Abs
Type: Strength
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals
Browse by movement: Spinal Flexion

How to do it

1
Lie flat on your back with the legs straight and hold the ball overhead with both hands.
2
Press the low back gently into the floor to brace the core.
3
Simultaneously lift the straight legs and the torso, reaching the ball toward the feet.
4
Meet in a V position with the ball near the shins or toes.
5
Lower the legs and torso back down together under control.
6
Keep the movement smooth and avoid letting the ball or heels crash down.

Tips

Lead with the abs, not momentum, so the fold stays controlled in both directions.
Keep the legs as straight as your flexibility allows to lengthen the lever.
Bend the knees slightly or use a lighter ball if the low back starts to arch.

Variations

Common mistakes

The low back lifts and arches as the ball swings overhead on the way down, the load finding the weakest link instead of the abs controlling it.
The ball gets tossed the last few inches toward the feet rather than reached for under control, turning the top of the rep into a small throw.
Choosing a ball far heavier than the bodyweight version calls for makes the overhead lever impossible to control before the abs are ready for the added load.
Letting the ball and heels thump down together at the bottom instead of easing them down trades away the exact tension the added weight was supposed to add.

Frequently asked

How heavy a medicine ball should you use for the V-up when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 4 to 6 pounds for 3 sets of 8 reps. Only add weight once you can keep the low back from arching on every rep, since the ball works more as a lever than as pure resistance.
What can you hold instead of a medicine ball for this V-up?: A light dumbbell gripped with both hands or a weight plate held at the edges both work, or drop the load entirely and do the bodyweight V-up.
What is the medicine ball V-up good for?: It loads both ends of the rectus abdominis at once for more advanced strength and hypertrophy work, suited to lifters who've outgrown the bodyweight V-up. It's a poor choice for anyone who still arches the low back in a bodyweight V-up, since adding weight overhead only magnifies that fault.

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