V-Up: How to Do It, Muscles Worked and Easier Versions

By Alex Lawrence · Updated 4 November 2026

Primary muscles: Abs
Secondary muscles: Obliques, Quads
Equipment: Bodyweight

A V-up is a bodyweight ab exercise where you lie flat, then lift your straight legs and your upper body at the same time so your hands reach towards your feet and your body forms a “V”. It trains your abs and hip flexors together and needs no kit at all.

What muscles do V-ups work?

V-ups mainly work your rectus abdominis, with your obliques and hip flexors helping. Your rectus abdominis curls your spine to lift your chest, while your hip flexors lift your legs. One of those hip flexors is the rectus femoris, the quad muscle that crosses the hip as well as the knee.

That’s why V-ups feel harder than crunches. A crunch moves one end of you; a V-up moves both ends at once, like folding a deckchair from both sides.

How to do a V-up

Lie on your back with your arms overhead and legs straight, then lift your arms, chest and legs together until your hands reach towards your shins or toes.

Start flat. Lie on your back on a mat, legs straight and together, arms straight overhead.
Brace. Press your lower back gently into the floor and tighten your abs.
Lift both ends. In one movement, raise your straight legs and your arms and chest, reaching your hands towards your feet.
Balance at the top. Your body forms a “V” with your weight on your bum.
Lower slowly. Lower your legs and upper body back to the floor together, under control.

Form cues that help

The best V-up cue is “reach, don’t throw”: lift with your abs rather than flinging your arms to get up.

Exhale on the way up. It helps your abs pull harder.
Keep your legs straight but not locked. A slight knee bend is fine.
Lower slowly. Two to three seconds down keeps your abs working and stops a thud.
Reach for your shins if your toes are too far. Range improves over time.

Think of it like closing a heavy book with one hand on each cover: both sides move together, and you close it, you don’t slam it.

Easier and harder versions

V-ups are hard, so most people start with an easier version.

Level	Version	How
Easier	Tuck-up	Bend your knees and pull them in as you sit up
Easier	Alternating single-leg V-up	Lift one leg at a time to meet your hands
Standard	V-up	Straight legs, both sides together
Harder	Weighted V-up	Hold a light dumbbell or plate in your hands
Harder	Slow V-up	Three seconds up, three seconds down

Common V-up mistakes

The most common V-up mistake is using momentum: throwing your arms and bouncing off the floor.

Mistake	What it looks like	Fix
Swinging the arms	Arms fling up first, chest follows	Lift chest and legs together
Arching the lower back	Back lifts off the mat as legs lower	Brace; lower only as far as you can control
Dropping down	Legs thud to the floor	Count two to three seconds down
Bent legs everywhere	Knees to chest every rep	Use tuck-ups until straight legs are possible

If you have lower back pain, V-ups can aggravate it. Try a reverse crunch or dead bug instead, and get advice from a physio if the pain persists.

Sets and reps

Start with 3 sets of 8–12 controlled reps. When that’s easy, slow the reps down or hold a light weight. Your abs, like any muscle, grow when you make the work a little harder over time.

V-up alternatives

Any exercise that brings your chest and hips together trains the same muscles.

Cable crunch: the easiest way to load your abs with more weight.
Hanging leg raise: lift your legs while hanging from a bar.
Reverse crunch: curl your hips up towards your ribs.
Dead bug: a gentler, back-friendly trunk exercise.
Farmer’s carry: trains your abs and obliques to keep you upright under load.

Log your V-ups in Get Gains to track your reps from week to week.