Core · Bodyweight
Sicilian Roll-up
How to do the sicilian roll-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 arms extended overhead. Sweep your arms forward and roll up one vertebra at a time until you are sitting tall reaching toward your toes, then reverse slowly to lower back down with control.
- 1Feel your abs peel your spine off the floor one bit at a time
- 2Reach long through your arms to lead the roll-up
- 3Control the descent rather than dropping flat
Common mistakes
- Do not use momentum to fling yourself up
- Avoid jerking your head and arms to start the rep
- Do not let your feet pop up off the floor
Muscles worked
The sicilian roll-up mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the hip flexors and obliques assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Lower BackMinor
- QuadsMinor
- HamstringsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the sicilian roll-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.