How many reps of the V-up should you do when you are new to the exercise?

3 sets of 6 to 10 reps, using the bent-knee tuck-up regression for as many reps as needed to keep the low back from arching off the floor. Progress to full straight-leg V-ups only once 10 clean tuck-ups feel easy.

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

Easier: bend the knees into a tuck-up, or lower just the legs while the torso stays down. Harder: hold a light weight overhead, or slow the lowering phase to 3 to 4 seconds.

What is the V-up good for?

It trains the whole rectus abdominis at once for timing and midline strength, suited to lifters wanting a challenging bodyweight finisher. It's a poor choice for anyone with low back pain, since the strong hip-flexor pull can tug on the lumbar spine if the abs give out before the reps are done.

Advanced

V-Up

The V-up trains the entire rectus abdominis in one movement by simultaneously curling the upper and lower halves of the body into a V. Because both ends of the muscle shorten at once, it hits the upper and lower abs together while the hip flexors assist. It rewards timing and control as much as raw strength.

Equipment: Body Weight
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 with arms extended overhead and legs straight.
2
Brace your abs so your low back stays near the floor.
3
Exhale and lift your torso and legs at the same time, reaching your hands toward your feet.
4
Balance briefly on your hips in a tight V shape.
5
Inhale and lower your arms and legs together under control.
6
Stop just short of the floor and immediately begin the next rep.

Tips

Reach your hands and feet toward each other rather than just jackknifing up.
If you cannot keep the legs straight, bend the knees or do tuck-ups instead.
Lower with control; dropping fast loses the tension that builds the abs.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees start bending the instant fatigue hits, without ever deciding to switch to the easier tuck-up version, so form just quietly falls apart mid-set.
The torso and legs stop rising at the same tempo, so one half reaches the top well before the other and the V collapses out of shape.
Resting flat on the floor between reps instead of stopping just short of it lets the abs shut off and turns a flow of reps into isolated ones.
Yanking the head and shoulders up first to build momentum for the legs turns the lift into a neck-driven crunch instead of a whole-body fold.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the V-up should you do when you are new to the exercise?: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps, using the bent-knee tuck-up regression for as many reps as needed to keep the low back from arching off the floor. Progress to full straight-leg V-ups only once 10 clean tuck-ups feel easy.
How do you make the V-up easier or harder?: Easier: bend the knees into a tuck-up, or lower just the legs while the torso stays down. Harder: hold a light weight overhead, or slow the lowering phase to 3 to 4 seconds.
What is the V-up good for?: It trains the whole rectus abdominis at once for timing and midline strength, suited to lifters wanting a challenging bodyweight finisher. It's a poor choice for anyone with low back pain, since the strong hip-flexor pull can tug on the lumbar spine if the abs give out before the reps are done.

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