equipment

Bench, Bodyweight

sets

3

reps

3-8

rest

90-120 sec

1. Lie flat on a bench with your head near one end.
2. Reach back and grip the edge of the bench behind your head.
3. Pull your shoulder blades down and press them into the bench.
4. Brace your midsection hard and squeeze your glutes.
5. Raise your legs and hips until your body points upward, resting on your upper back.

1. Lower your whole body as one rigid unit toward the bench.
2. Keep your hips extended so you do not fold in the middle.
3. Descend as far as you can while keeping the line straight.
4. Stop before your lower back would arch away from the bench.
5. Raise your body back to the vertical start position.

Inhale before lowering and stay braced through the descent. Exhale as you return to the top.

• Keep the body rigid from shoulders to heels.
• Squeeze your glutes to stop the hips folding.
• Bend your knees to shorten the lever while building strength.
• Stop the set the moment the straight line breaks.
• Build up with planks and rollouts before attempting these.

• Folding at the hips so the legs lower without the torso.
• Letting the lower back arch off the bench at the bottom.
• Attempting the full straight-leg version too early.
• Losing grip on the bench mid-repetition.
• Dropping quickly rather than lowering under control.

From the body vertical to as low as you can go while holding a rigid straight line. Bend the knees to regress rather than breaking position.