Core · Bodyweight
Half Sit-up
How to do the half 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
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Curl your torso up about halfway toward your thighs, lifting your shoulder blades and mid-back off the floor, then lower with control. Keep your abs engaged the whole time.
- 1Feel your abs contract as you curl your torso up
- 2Keep your chin slightly tucked, not jammed to your chest
- 3Lower under control rather than dropping back
Common mistakes
- Don't pull on your neck to get up
- Avoid using momentum to swing up
- Don't let your feet pop off the floor
Muscles worked
The half 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 half 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.