This article was co-authored by Danny Gordon. Danny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
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Curl ups are a great way to strengthen your core, and you can easily do them at home without any equipment! Below we break down how to do curl ups using the proper form so you can start incorporating them into your workouts. Plus, we’ve included some more advanced modifications you can try and tips that will help you get the most out of your workouts.
Steps
Beginning Curl Ups
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1Lie on your back. On a mat, or directly on the ground, lie on your back with your arms crossed over your chest. Bend your knees slightly until your feet are flat on the floor and about a foot away from your buttocks. Have a partner or weight hold down your feet so that you keep consistent form.[1]
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2Raise your upper body. Contract your rectus abdominis muscles to raise your upper body off of the ground. Your shoulders should be around 30 degrees off the floor. Your rectus abdominis is the main muscle used in curl-ups. It is the muscle that begins on the lower portion of your ribs, travels down the center of your stomach, and attaches to your pelvis. When contracted, the distance between your ribs and hips shortens, resulting in a curl up.Advertisement
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3Stop when your elbows reach your thighs. Lower your upper body back down, letting gravity help you. When you are going back down, you don’t need to keep your abdominals flexed. The entire curl up should take approximately 3 seconds.[2]
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4Repeat with pace. Try going for a minute straight. If you have proper form, you should be able to do 20 curl ups without a problem. You should do the same amount in your first 30 seconds as in your last 30 seconds. Often, beginners start out too fast and cannot finish the time with strength which results in bad form.[3]
- With regular practice, a pace of 40-50 per minute is attainable.
Advancing to Modifications
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1Extend your arms. Although the standard curl up only requires you to have your arms crossed over your body, if you are looking to add difficulty and increase muscle activation, you can extend your arms above your head. Lift them as if you are pushing your hands through the ceiling when you do your curl up. This form activates the greatest contraction in the rectus abdominis.[4]
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2Straighten your legs. This will help target your lower abdominals and hips. Perform the curl up exactly the same as you would if your knees were bent. If you switch your form, you won’t target the correct muscles and could hurt yourself.
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3Hold for more time. If you want to make curl ups a bit more difficult, hold your upper body up at the peak of your curl up for an extended amount of time. Just adding 3-5 seconds to each curl up will be give you the difficultly you’re after.
Getting the Most of Your Curl Up
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1Eat right. If you’re doing a lot of curl ups, your abdominals will be sore. Be sure to help your muscles heal by eating a proper amount of protein. This will help promote muscle growth and aid in recovery.[5]
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2Add cardio. If you’re doing curl ups to get noticeably more defined abdominals, pair them with cardio for faster results.
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3Practice with consistency. Doing curl ups once won’t affect your body. If you’re looking to get better at them, you need to practice them consistently. Make mini goals to reach a few times during the week and you’ll notice that they get easier the more that you do them.
- Doing 10 minutes of abdominal exercises each day will help strengthen your core. Each week, you’ll be able to make the exercises more difficult.[6]
Expert Q&A
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QuestionIs it OK to put your hands behind your head when doing curl ups?
Danny GordonDanny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Certified Fitness CoachYes, but keep your elbows back and your chin up. If your elbows are forward, it gives you the illusion that you're coming up more than you are. -
QuestionWhat should I be doing with my feet?Danny GordonDanny Gordon is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of The Body Studio for Fitness, a fitness studio based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 20 years of physical training and teaching experience, he has focused his studio on semi-private personal training. Danny received his Personal Trainer Certification from the California State University, East Bay and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Certified Fitness CoachMake sure your feet are flat on the floor, and press through your heel as you curl upward. Having your feet on the floor helps stabilize your core. -
QuestionWhat if I do this daily, but it does not work?
Community AnswerKeep at it. It could take a few weeks or even a few months for you to see results. Try to slowly increase the amount of weight you're lifting. Don't give up!
Warnings
- Do not exercise while injured without consulting a physician.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Do not put your hands behind your head and pull by your neck. This can result in injury.⧼thumbs_response⧽
References
- ↑ https://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/proper-technique-for-curl-ups
- ↑ http://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/proper-technique-for-curl-ups
- ↑ https://www.military.com/military-fitness/fitness-test-prep/proper-technique-for-curl-ups
- ↑ https://fitness.workoutz.com/exercise/long_arm_crunch
- ↑ http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition/what-to-eat/best-post-workout-foods
- ↑ https://www.openfit.com/should-you-do-ab-workouts-every-day
About This Article
To do a basic core-strengthening curl up, start by lying on your back with your arms crossed over your chest. Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor, keeping your heels about 1 foot (30.5 centimeters) away from your butt. When you’re ready, tighten your abs and lift your upper body off of the floor. Try to make at least a 30° angle between the floor and your shoulders, or stop when your elbows touch your thighs. Then, slowly lower yourself back down to the floor. From start to finish, the curl up should take about 3 seconds. When you’re starting out, shoot for about 20 curl ups in 1 minute. As you get better at it, work your way up to doing 40 to 50 per minute. For an extra challenge, extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling instead of crossing them over your chest. Keep them extended in front of you as you do the curl up. You can also point your feet up at the ceiling instead of bending your knees. This will help activate the muscles in your lower abdomen and hips. Try holding the curl up for an extra 3 to 5 seconds for a more intense workout. To get the most out of your curl ups, do them on a consistent schedule and combine them with cardio exercises, like jogging or biking. Help your abs heal after a workout by eating a healthy diet that includes lean proteins, like chicken and fish.
