Sit-Up
Muscles worked: Abs.
How to do it
- Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them.
- Place your hands behind your head and lock them together by clasping your fingers.
- Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs.
- Once you feel the contraction for a second, lower your upper body back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Feet flat, hands at the chest or temples
- Curl up smoothly, lower with control
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 12 to 25 rep range, progressing in 1 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Bodyweight movement: log added weight only, and your records account for your logged bodyweight. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Cable Crunch - abs
- Hanging Leg Raise - abs
- Ab Wheel Rollout - abs
- Ab Crunch Machine - abs
Track the sit-up properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StoreFree download, iPhone. Currently on the New Zealand App Store, wider rollout to follow.
Photos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.