Core · Bodyweight
Wide Leg Sit-up
How to do the wide leg 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 your legs spread wide and the soles of your feet apart, knees relaxed open. Reach forward and sit up toward your feet by contracting your abs, then lower slowly back to the floor under control.
- 1Your abs contracting hard to pull your torso up
- 2A controlled lower with tension held in the core
- 3Your lower back rounding off the floor segment by segment
Common mistakes
- Yanking your head or neck with your hands
- Using momentum to throw yourself up
- Dropping flat instead of lowering under control
Muscles worked
The wide leg sit-up mainly works the upper abs, with the lower abs, obliques, and hip flexors assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the wide leg 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.