Core · Bodyweight
Vertical Sit-up
How to do the vertical 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 and raise your legs straight up so they point toward the ceiling. Reach your hands up toward your feet and crunch your shoulder blades off the floor, driving your chest up toward your toes. Lower under control and repeat.
- 1Feel your upper abs crunch as you reach toward your toes
- 2Keep your legs pointed up and still throughout
- 3Drive your shoulder blades up off the floor each rep
Common mistakes
- Don't pull on your neck to lift your shoulders
- Avoid letting your legs drop or swing for momentum
- Don't bounce off the floor between reps
Muscles worked
The vertical 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 vertical 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.