How many reps of the single-leg V-up should a beginner do?

Start with 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg, resting 45 to 60 seconds between sets. Once you can do all reps with a straight working leg and no low-back arch, add a rep or two per set before moving up to a full V-up.

How do you make the single-leg V-up easier or harder?

To make it easier, bend the resting leg with the foot flat on the floor, or lower a few inches short of touching the foot. To make it harder, keep both legs straight throughout, slow the lowering phase, or progress to the full two-leg V-up.

What is the single-leg V-up good for, and who should skip it?

It builds coordinated upper- and lower-ab strength and control with less strain than a full V-up, making it a solid choice for beginners and anyone rebuilding core strength. Skip it if lower-back pain flares with spinal flexion, or swap in a dead bug or plank variation instead.

Beginner

Single-Leg V-Up

The single-leg V-up keeps the fold-up pattern of a V-up but raises only one leg per rep, cutting the lever and the strength needed so more people can train the movement cleanly. Both the upper and lower abs still fire to bring the hand and foot together over the middle. It is a good entry point on the way to full V-ups and a nice way to even out side-to-side control.

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

How to do it

1
Lie flat on your back with legs straight and arms extended overhead.
2
Brace the abs and press your lower back toward the floor.
3
Lift one straight leg up while reaching both hands toward that foot.
4
Meet hands and foot over your midsection, balancing on your hips.
5
Lower the leg and arms back down with control.
6
Alternate legs each rep and exhale as you fold up.

Tips

Reach for the foot with the fingertips to complete each fold.
Keep the working leg straight for the full lower-ab stretch and contraction.
Alternate sides evenly so both work equally.

Variations

Common mistakes

Once the working leg bends even slightly, the hip flexor takes over the lift and the lower-ab tension you are chasing disappears.
The lower back arches away from the floor as soon as the leg rises, moving the load off the abs and onto the lumbar spine.
Letting the resting leg float up off the floor turns this into a full V-up and erases the point of training one side at a time.
Snapping the shoulders up to meet the foot instead of curling the trunk skips the ab contraction the exercise is built around.
The reps quietly stack up uneven between sides when you stop counting each leg separately, leaving one side behind.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the single-leg V-up should a beginner do?: Start with 2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps per leg, resting 45 to 60 seconds between sets. Once you can do all reps with a straight working leg and no low-back arch, add a rep or two per set before moving up to a full V-up.
How do you make the single-leg V-up easier or harder?: To make it easier, bend the resting leg with the foot flat on the floor, or lower a few inches short of touching the foot. To make it harder, keep both legs straight throughout, slow the lowering phase, or progress to the full two-leg V-up.
What is the single-leg V-up good for, and who should skip it?: It builds coordinated upper- and lower-ab strength and control with less strain than a full V-up, making it a solid choice for beginners and anyone rebuilding core strength. Skip it if lower-back pain flares with spinal flexion, or swap in a dead bug or plank variation instead.

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