Dumbbell V Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs fully extended and feet together.
2. Hold a single dumbbell with both hands, extending your arms straight back behind your head.
3. Engage your core by pressing your lower back firmly into the floor to eliminate any arch.

How to do it

1. Simultaneously lift your torso and your straight legs off the floor, reaching the dumbbell toward your toes to form a 'V' shape.
2. Exhale forcefully as you reach the peak of the movement, balancing on your glutes.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your torso and legs back toward the floor with control.
4. Stop just before your heels and the dumbbell touch the ground to maintain constant tension.

Form checklist

• Keep your arms and legs as straight as possible throughout the entire range of motion.
• Ensure your upper and lower body move at the same speed to meet in the middle.
• Keep your neck neutral and gaze forward, avoiding the urge to tuck your chin into your chest.
• Avoid using momentum or swinging the weight to lift your torso.

Pro tips

• Focus on the mind-muscle connection by imagining your ribs and hip bones pulling toward each other.
• At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs hard for a one-second pause to maximize muscle fiber recruitment.

Make it harder

• Increase the time under tension by taking 4-5 seconds to lower your body back to the starting position.
• Hold the dumbbell further away from your center of mass (arms fully locked) to increase the lever length and difficulty.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell v up work?

The dumbbell v up primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell v up?

The dumbbell v up uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell v up good for beginners?

The dumbbell v up is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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