Without trying to over generalise, many individuals who attend the gym to undertake resistance training want to achieve that 6 pack status. The abdominal region is a popular muscle region to exercise and makes up the so called beach muscles, alongside the chest and biceps. One thing that I’ve found in gyms up and down the country is although the abdominal region is high on an individual’s desirable list; they won’t spend nearly as much time and effort on these muscles as they do on their other respective muscle groups. Abdominals are often given a rough deal and worked for 5 minutes at the end of a session or even left until the individual gets home so that they can be performed in front of the TV. Sound familiar? At the end of the day, the abdominal region is the same as any other muscle and should be treated accordingly. If you want to achieve real success then it requires time and effort and you must be able to constantly think up new ways to challenge the muscle region and keep it guessing.
The ‘V’ Up Exercise
One exercise that does just this is the ‘V’ up or Jack-knife sit-up. This is an advanced abdominal exercise requiring a degree of core strength and stability prior to performing for the first time. One good thing about it however is that it doesn’t require any specialist equipment, so should you struggle to get to the gym for whatever reason, you can still challenge your abdominals with this effective exercise. This exercise requires strict form in order for it to be truly effective. It is for this reason that this article will breakdown the ‘V’ up step by step so that you, the user, can be sure you are doing exactly what is required of you and reaping all of its rewards.
How To Perform The ‘V’ Up Exercise
- To commence lie on your back with your arms extended overhead.
- As you breathe out, lift your torso and legs off of the floor at the same time.
- Ensure that you keep your legs straight at all times.
- Continue to lift your legs until they are approximately 45 degrees off the floor.
- Your upper back should also be off the floor with all weight through your buttocks.
- At the top of this movement hold momentarily.
- Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. This is one repetition.
The ‘V’ Up Exercise Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2fjvG0g3w Remember, stability and good form are essential components of this exercise. If you’re still looking for further progressions then why not try adding resistance to the hand region or feet region or even both!
Final Word
The ‘V’ up is an extremely effective abdominal exercise when utilised correctly. Is you have a good core strength foundation and are looking to further enhance your abdominal workouts then why not add this exercise into your routine today and start to reap its rewards.
