Core · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Sit-up to Press
How to do the dumbbell sit-up to press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie on your back holding a dumbbell at your chest with both hands, knees bent and feet flat. Perform a full sit-up, and as you reach the top press the dumbbell overhead until your arms lock out. Lower the dumbbell back to your chest as you return to the floor under control.
- 1Your abs pulling your torso up off the floor on each sit-up
- 2Your shoulders and triceps finishing the press at the top
- 3A smooth handoff from the curl-up into the overhead press
Common mistakes
- Throwing the dumbbell up with momentum instead of pressing it
- Yanking with your neck or hip-flexing your way up
- Letting your back arch hard as you reach overhead
Muscles worked
The dumbbell sit-up to press mainly works the upper abs and front delts, with the triceps, lower abs, hip flexors, obliques, and side delts assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Front DeltsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Lower AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper ChestMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell sit-up to press 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.