10 Best Sit-up Alternatives for Core Training

The Sit-up is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Reverse Crunch, the Flat Bench Leg Pull-in and the Exercise Ball Crunch. Four harder versions, among them the Lying Leg-hip Raise and the Lying Leg Raise Flat Bench, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

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

Original Exercise: Sit-up

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

Secondary muscles: Hip Flexors

How to perform 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 Sit-up Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the 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
    Reverse CrunchPlay demonstration

    1. Reverse Crunch

    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 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  2. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    2. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on an exercise mat or a flat bench with your legs off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench (or with palms down by the side on an exercise mat). Also extend your legs straight out. This will be your starting position.
    3. Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue this movement until your knees are near your chest. Hold the contracted position for a second.
    4. As you breathe in, slowly return to the starting position.
    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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  3. Lying Leg-hip RaisePlay demonstration

    Progression

    3. Lying Leg-hip Raise

    98% 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 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  4. Exercise Ball Crunch

    4. Exercise Ball Crunch

    97% match
    • Abs
    • Stability-ball
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    A good swap when you have a stability ball to work with, and it still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position).
    2. Lower your torso into a stretch position keeping the neck stationary at all times. This will be your starting position.
    3. With the hips stationary, flex the waist by contracting the abdominals and curl the shoulders and trunk upward until you feel a nice contraction on your abdominals. The arms should simply slide up the side of your legs if you have them at the side or just stay on top of your chest if you have them crossed. The lower back should always stay in contact with the ball. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
    4. As you inhale, go back to the starting position.
    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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Sit-up
  5. Lying Leg Raise Flat BenchPlay demonstration

    Progression

    5. Lying Leg Raise Flat Bench

    95% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on a flat bench with your back pressed against it.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Keep your legs straight and together, and lift them up 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  6. Arms Overhead Full Sit-upPlay demonstration

    Progression

    6. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up

    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 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  7. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    Progression

    7. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    94% 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Sit-up
  8. Frog Sit-ups

    8. Frog Sit-ups

    94% 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Sit-up
  9. Butt-upsPlay demonstration

    9. Butt-ups

    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 by your sides, palms facing down.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
    5. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    6. 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up
  10. Tuck CrunchPlay demonstration

    10. Tuck Crunch

    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. Engaging your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest, simultaneously curling your upper body towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulder blades and extend your legs back 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 Sit-up
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Sit-up
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Sit-up

Sit-up FAQ

What muscles does Sit-up V. 2 work?

Sit-up V. 2 primarily targets the rectus abdominis and also engages the obliques for stabilization. The hip flexors (iliopsoas and rectus femoris) assist strongly, so hip-flexor dominance can reduce pure abdominal activation.

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