Sit Up Punches

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Bring your hands up to your chin in a boxing 'guard' position with your elbows tucked in.
3. Engage your core by pressing your lower back firmly into the floor.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you curl your torso up toward your knees, keeping your chin slightly tucked to protect your neck.
2. At the top of the movement, rotate your torso and throw a cross-body punch with your right arm toward the left, followed immediately by a left punch toward the right.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your torso back to the floor one vertebra at a time.
4. Maintain a controlled 2-1-2 tempo: two seconds up, one second for punches, and two seconds down.

Form checklist

• Keep your feet glued to the floor; avoid letting them lift as you sit up.
• Rotate from your waist during the punches to maximize oblique engagement.
• Keep your hands near your face in the guard position between reps.
• Avoid using momentum or swinging your arms to pull yourself up.

Pro tips

• Fully extend your arm on the punch and turn your palm down at the end of the strike to better engage the triceps and serratus anterior.
• Focus on 'exhaling' sharply with each punch to create more intra-abdominal pressure and core stability.

Make it harder

• Hold a pair of light dumbbells (2-5 lbs) to increase the load on the shoulders and core.
• Perform the movement on a decline bench to increase the range of motion and resistance against gravity.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the sit up punches work?

The sit up punches primarily targets the abs, deltoids, and obliques, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the sit up punches?

The sit up punches requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the sit up punches good for beginners?

The sit up punches is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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