Tuck Up

How to do it

1. Lie flat on your back with the legs straight and the arms stretched overhead.
2. Brace the stomach and lift the arms and legs just off the floor.
3. Sit up and pull the knees into the chest at the same time, balancing on the hips.
4. Wrap the arms around the shins briefly at the top.
5. Extend back out to the hovering start position under control.

Tips

• Keep the lower back pressed down as you extend out.
• Stay in a hover between reps rather than resting on the floor.

Common mistakes

• Rocking back and forth to gain momentum.
• Arching the back as the legs straighten.
• Dropping the arms and legs to the floor between reps.

Muscles worked by the Tuck Up

• Upper abs Primary40%
• Lower abs Primary29%
• Obliques Secondary17%
• Hip flexors Secondary14%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Legs and trunk meet: lower abs and hip flexors join. Curling the ribcage toward the pelvis is spinal flexion by rectus abdominis, with the obliques assisting; a full sit up adds the hip flexors.

Tuck Up alternatives

Same equipment

• V-UpBodyweight
• Decline CrunchBodyweight

Different equipment

• Decline Bench CrunchOther equipment
• Weighted Decline CrunchOther equipment

Easier

• Butterfly Sit UpBodyweight
• Sit UpBodyweight

Make it harder

• V-UpBodyweight
• Weighted Decline CrunchOther equipment
• Decline Weighted Sit UpOther equipment
• Weighted CrunchOther equipment

Make it easier

• Butterfly Sit UpBodyweight
• Sit UpBodyweight
• Weighted Sit UpOther equipment
• Long Arm CrunchBodyweight

Similar exercises

• Jackknife Sit UpBodyweight

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Tuck Up work?

Mainly the upper abs and lower abs. The obliques and hip flexors assist.

Is the Tuck Up good for beginners?

The Tuck Up is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Butterfly Sit Up first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Tuck Up?

For example the V-Up, Decline Crunch and Butterfly Sit Up. They train mostly the same muscles.

How do you make the Tuck Up harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the V-Up and Weighted Decline Crunch.

Sources

• Escamilla et al. 2006, Phys Ther 86(5):656-671 (traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises)

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