The incline twisting situp is an abdominal exercise performed on an incline bench, targeting the abs and obliques by adding a rotational movement to the traditional situp.
Also Works
Obliques
How to Perform
1
Set up an incline bench at a 45 degree angle.
2
Lie down on the bench with your feet secured under the foot pads.
3
Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
4
Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward.
5
As you curl up, twist your torso to one side, bringing your elbow towards the opposite knee.
6
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
7
Repeat the movement, this time twisting your torso to the other side.
8
Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Set the incline at 30-45 degrees to start. Steeper angles dramatically increase difficulty.
•Initiate the twist from your ribcage, not your shoulders, to ensure the obliques are driving the rotation.
•Touch your opposite elbow to the outside of the opposite knee for a full rotational range of motion.
Common Mistakes
•Using momentum to swing up rather than curling up slowly with abdominal engagement.
•Twisting only at the shoulders while the torso stays relatively straight, which minimizes oblique involvement.
•Pulling on the neck with the hands, straining the cervical spine.