Sit-Up
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Sit-Up
- Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them. Your legs should be bent at the knees.
- Place your hands behind your head and lock them together by clasping your fingers. This is the starting position.
- Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs. Breathe out when performing this part of the exercise.
- 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.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Sit-Up
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
-
1
Jackknife Sit-Up
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
-
2
Janda Sit-Up
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
-
3
Press Sit-Up
An advanced compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
-
4
Weighted Sit-Ups - With Bands
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs.
-
5
Barbell Side Bend
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
-
6
Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
7
Cable Crunch
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
8
Cable Judo Flip
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
9
Cable Reverse Crunch
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
10
Cable Russian Twists
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do sit-up work?
Sit-Up primarily works the abs.
What equipment do I need for sit-up?
None. Sit-Up is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Sit-Up: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Sit-Up is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of sit-up?
Jackknife Sit-Up, Janda Sit-Up, Press Sit-Up train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my sit-up reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; sit-up can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Sit-Up with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.