Incline Sit-Up - Abdominals

Incline Sit Up - Abdominals

Learn how to train your abs with incline sit-ups. The incline sit-up is one of the best and most popular abdominal exercises. All you need is a sit-up bench, but you can also do this exercise with a normal bench and elevate one side. Just make sure you have a safe way to keep your legs down (foot pads or a training partner) and you are ready to go. At the beginning you should adjust your bench to about 30 degrees. If you can all go all the way down without arching back, you can try a higher angle. Find more exercises for your ab workout at weight training main.

Execution

  • Sit on your incline bench, hook your legs under the pads and put your hands behind your ears. Spread your elbows to the sides. Don't let them point forward. If they point forward, you are able to pull with your hands, which would be bad form. The hands only SUPPORT the neck. No pulling!!! Keep your abs contracted and your back round throughout entire exercise.
  • Lower your upper body as far as you can while keeping your back round. Again, don't hollow your back.
  • If you can go all the way down, that's ok. Just make sure you don't arch back and keep inhaling slowly. Only the lower back can actually touch the sit-up bench.
  • After reaching the lowest point where you can get without hollowing your back, move back up and exhale slowly. The up-movement can be slightly faster than the down movement. Exhale at the same time.
  • Don't move beyond vertical level (aka your hips)
  • At the end, crunch down a little and fully contract your abdominals.

Advice

  • Do about 25 repetitions.
  • There are many ways to make the incline sit-up harder.
    • You can hold a weight on your chest and cross your arms over it.
    • Or attach an elastic band at hip height behind you (on a ladder wall)
  • To make the incline sit-up easier, simply cross your arms or don't move down that far.
  • Stretch your abdominal muscles from time to time.