Core · Bodyweight
Elbow to Knee Sit-up
How to do the elbow to knee sit-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with hands behind your head. Sit up and twist so one elbow reaches across toward the opposite knee as it drives in, then lower and repeat to the other side, alternating each rep.
- 1Obliques crunching as you twist across
- 2Upper abs pulling you off the floor
- 3The knee and elbow meeting in the middle
Common mistakes
- Yanking on your neck with your hands
- Using momentum instead of a controlled crunch
- Letting your lower back arch as you reset
Muscles worked
The elbow to knee sit-up mainly works the obliques and upper abs, with the lower abs and hip flexors assisting.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsMinor
Kovo programs the elbow to knee 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.