Core · Leverage Machine
Assisted Sit-up
How to do the assisted sit-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Leverage Machine
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit in a leverage sit-up machine with your legs anchored and your back against the padded support. Use the machine's counterweight to assist as you curl your torso up, then lower back down with control.
- 1Feel your abs contract as you curl your torso up against the pad
- 2Let the machine assist the range while your core stays engaged
- 3Control the lowering phase rather than dropping back
Common mistakes
- Avoid yanking with your hip flexors instead of your abs
- Don't let the assist do all the work; stay active throughout
- Avoid rounding hard at the neck; keep the curl smooth
Muscles worked
The assisted sit-up mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques and hip flexors assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the assisted sit-up for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.