Curl-up

Description

How to Do Curl-up

1. 1
   Setup

   Lie supine on the floor with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet flat on the floor hip-width apart, positioned about a foot from your glutes.

2. 2
   Setup

   Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears, avoiding pulling on your head, or cross your arms over your chest, keeping your elbows wide.

3. 3

   Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine, then slowly lift your head and shoulders off the floor, curling your upper back until your shoulder blades barely clear the ground.

4. 4

   Focus on crunching your rib cage towards your pelvis, feeling a strong contraction in your rectus abdominis while actively pressing your lower back into the floor.

5. 5

   Exhale as you curl up, then slowly and with control, lower your upper body back to the starting position, inhaling as you return.

Tips

• Maintain a neutral neck position by imagining an apple between your chin and chest; avoid pulling on your head to initiate the movement.
• Keep your lower back pressed firmly into the floor throughout the entire movement to prevent arching and protect your lumbar spine.
• Focus on controlled movement rather than speed; a slower, deliberate curl-up maximizes muscle activation and engagement in your abs.
• Engage your transverse abdominis by drawing your navel towards your spine before initiating the curl to enhance core stability.

Common Mistakes

• ×Pulling on the neck to lift the head strains the cervical spine; instead, keep your gaze fixed on the ceiling and let your abdominal muscles do the work.
• ×Lifting too high and engaging hip flexors reduces abdominal isolation; only curl up until your shoulder blades leave the floor, keeping your lower back grounded.
• ×Rushing through the movement diminishes muscle engagement; slow down the eccentric phase (lowering) to increase time under tension and improve results.