equipment

Bodyweight

sets

3

reps

15-25

rest

45 sec

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2. Place your hands lightly behind your head or crossed on your chest.
3. Keep your elbows wide rather than pulled in.
4. Press your lower back gently into the floor.
5. Look toward the ceiling with your chin slightly tucked.

1. Curl your upper back off the floor by flexing your spine.
2. Lift until your shoulder blades clear the floor.
3. Keep your lower back in contact with the ground throughout.
4. Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your abdominals.
5. Lower under control until your shoulder blades touch down.

Exhale as you curl up, inhale as you lower back down.

• Curl the spine rather than lifting the whole torso.
• Keep your hands light behind your head — they support, they do not pull.
• Keep a gap between your chin and chest.
• Move slowly rather than bouncing off the floor.
• Keep your lower back down throughout.

• Pulling on the head and neck with the hands.
• Bouncing off the floor between repetitions.
• Sitting all the way up, which turns it into a sit-up.
• Jamming the chin into the chest.
• Rushing through reps without controlling the descent.

From flat on the floor to shoulder blades lifted clear. This is a short range by design — the lower back stays down.