V-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs fully extended and feet together.
2. Extend your arms straight overhead, resting them on the floor behind you.
3. Press your lower back firmly into the mat to engage your transverse abdominis and eliminate any arch.

How to do it

1. Exhale forcefully as you simultaneously lift your torso and straight legs off the floor, reaching your hands toward your toes.
2. Fold your body until you are balancing on your glutes, forming a 'V' shape at the peak of the movement.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower your arms and legs back toward the floor with a controlled 2-second tempo.
4. Stop just before your heels and shoulder blades touch the ground to maintain constant tension on the core.

Form checklist

• Keep your legs and arms as straight as possible throughout the entire range of motion.
• Ensure your upper body and lower body rise and fall at the same rate.
• Avoid using momentum or swinging your arms to pull yourself up.
• Keep your neck neutral and gaze forward to avoid straining the cervical spine.
• Maintain a flat lower back during the lowering phase to protect the spine.

Pro tips

• Think about 'closing a book' where your chest and thighs meet at the exact same time for maximum abdominal recruitment.
• Pause for a split second at the top of the movement to emphasize the peak contraction of the rectus abdominis.
• Squeeze your inner thighs (adductors) together throughout the set to stabilize the pelvis and increase lower-core activation.

Make it harder

• Hold a light medicine ball or dumbbell between your hands to increase the lever length and resistance.
• Perform the movement with a 4-second eccentric (lowering) phase to maximize time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the v-up work?

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

What equipment do you need for the v-up?

The v-up requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the v-up good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• 3/4 Sit-UpBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Bicycle Twisting CrunchIntermediate · abs and obliques
• 45 Degree Lean Back Alternate Knee RaiseBeginner · abs and obliques
• 45 Degrees Arms PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals