Flexion Leg Sit up (straight arm)

Description

How to do Flexion Leg Sit up (straight arm)

1. 01
   Setup

   Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs fully extended and together. Extend your arms straight overhead, keeping them parallel to the floor.

2. 02
   Setup

   Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine, ensuring your lower back is pressed into the floor.

3. 03

   Exhale as you simultaneously lift your straight arms, head, shoulders, and torso off the floor, reaching your hands towards your feet.

4. 04

   Continue to lift until your torso is upright or as high as possible while keeping your legs straight and heels pressed into the floor.

5. 05

   Inhale and slowly reverse the movement, lowering your torso and arms back to the starting position with control, vertebra by vertebra.

Tips

• Focus on controlled spinal flexion rather than just hip flexion; think about curling your torso up one segment at a time.
• Keep your arms straight and parallel throughout the movement to maintain constant tension and prevent using momentum to lift your body.
• Control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the movement by slowly returning to the starting position, as this enhances muscle engagement and strength.
• Breathe out forcefully as you lift your torso; this helps to engage your deep core muscles more effectively.

Common mistakes

• Using momentum to swing up reduces core engagement; instead, initiate the movement with a deliberate contraction of your abdominal muscles.
• Lifting your legs off the floor indicates insufficient core strength or too much reliance on hip flexors; actively press your heels down and engage your quadriceps to keep your legs grounded.
• Arching your lower back at the start or during the movement can strain your spine; maintain a slight posterior pelvic tilt and keep your core engaged to protect your lower back.