10 Best Quarter Sit-up Alternatives for Any Situation

The Quarter Sit-up is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Half Sit-up, the Sit-up and the Prisoner Half Sit-up. Six harder versions, among them the Arms Overhead Full Sit-up and the Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Quarter Sit-up

Quarter Sit-upPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Hip Flexors

How to perform Quarter Sit-up
  1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
  2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
  3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Quarter Sit-up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Quarter Sit-up on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Best match
    Half Sit-upPlay demonstration

    1. Half Sit-up

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  2. Sit-up

    2. Sit-up

    96% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie down on the floor placing your feet either under something that will not move or by having a partner hold them. Your legs should be bent at the knees.
    2. Place your hands behind your head and lock them together by clasping your fingers. This is the starting position.
    3. Elevate your upper body so that it creates an imaginary V-shape with your thighs. Breathe out when performing this part of the exercise.
    4. Once you feel the contraction for a second, lower your upper body back down to the starting position while inhaling.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  3. Arms Overhead Full Sit-upPlay demonstration

    Progression

    3. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is upright.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  4. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    Progression

    4. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie with your back flat on a bench and your legs extended in front of you off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you keep your legs extended, straight as possible with your knees slightly bent but locked raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
    4. Now, as you inhale, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  5. Frog Sit-ups

    Progression

    5. Frog Sit-ups

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie with your back flat on the floor (or exercise mat) and your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Now bend at the knees and place your outer thighs by the floor (or mat) as you make the soles of your feet touch each other.
    3. Now try pushing both soles and bringing them up as near you as possible while you keep the outer thighs on the floor (or at least almost touching it). Tip: In this position your legs should create a diamond shape.
    4. Now, cross your arms in front of you by touching the opposite shoulders. This will be your starting position.
    5. As you exhale flatten your lower back to the floor while curling the torso upwards. Tip: This will be like performing the first 1/4 movement of a sit up. Hold at the top position for a second.
    6. As you inhale, slowly lower back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  6. Prisoner Half Sit-upPlay demonstration

    6. Prisoner Half Sit-up

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  7. Lying Leg-hip RaisePlay demonstration

    Progression

    7. Lying Leg-hip Raise

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Engage your core and lift your legs off the ground, raising them towards the ceiling.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  8. Reverse CrunchPlay demonstration

    Progression

    8. Reverse Crunch

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended along your sides.
    2. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
    3. Contract your abs and curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  9. Crunch (Hands Overhead)Play demonstration

    Progression

    9. Crunch (Hands Overhead)

    94% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms straight above your head.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
  10. Crunch FloorPlay demonstration

    10. Crunch Floor

    94% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Quarter Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Quarter Sit-up

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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology