Core · Bodyweight
Pulse-up
How to do the pulse-up, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with legs extended toward the ceiling and hands flat under your hips for support. Using your lower abs, push your feet straight up so your hips lift a few inches off the floor, then lower with control.
- 1Lower abs driving your hips off the floor
- 2A short, controlled pulse at the top
- 3Legs staying mostly vertical throughout
Common mistakes
- Swinging your legs to create momentum
- Pushing off your hands instead of your abs
- Letting your lower back arch off the floor
Muscles worked
The pulse-up mainly works the lower abs, with the hip flexors, upper abs, and obliques assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the pulse-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.