Sit-Up (Weighted)

A standard sit-up performed while holding an external load — weight plate, dumbbell, or medicine ball — against the chest or behind the head, increasing demand on the abdominals beyond bodyweight alone.

Instructions

1. Lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
2. Hold a weight plate, dumbbell, or medicine ball firmly against your chest or extended behind your head.
3. Brace your core before initiating movement to stabilise the load.
4. Exhale and curl your torso upward, arcing your chest toward your thighs while pressing against the resistance.
5. Continue until your torso is fully upright or your elbows approach your knees.
6. Pause briefly at the top, maintaining tension in the abdominals.
7. Inhale and lower your torso back to the floor under control, resisting the pull of the weight.
8. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Tips

• Holding the weight at chest level is easier; extending it overhead increases the lever arm and difficulty significantly.
• Do not use momentum or a jerking motion to overcome the load — initiate each rep with a deliberate abdominal contraction.
• Keep your neck neutral; avoid pulling with the hands if holding a plate behind your head.
• The lowering phase is equally important — control the descent rather than dropping back.
• Anchor your feet under a strap or have a partner hold them if the added weight causes your legs to lift.
• Start light to master bracing against the load before progressing to heavier plates.