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Butt-Ups

A forearm plank drill where you pike the hips up toward the ceiling, training the abs to flex the trunk while the shoulders stay planted.

AbsBodyweightPlank pike
GoLightWeight mediabutt-ups

Demonstration coming soon

Primary

Rectus abdominis

Secondary

ObliquesHip flexorsAnterior deltoids

Equipment

Bodyweight

Pattern

Plank pike

Setup

  1. 01Set up in a forearm plank with elbows under the shoulders.
  2. 02Place the feet together with toes tucked.
  3. 03Form a straight line from head to heels.
  4. 04Brace the trunk and squeeze the glutes before the first rep.

Execution

  1. 01Drive the hips up toward the ceiling into a pike position.
  2. 02Let the head drop between the arms as the hips rise.
  3. 03Pause briefly at the top with the abs fully shortened.
  4. 04Lower the hips back to a straight plank without sagging past neutral.

Checkpoints

  • -Elbows stay stacked under the shoulders throughout.
  • -The bottom position is a true plank, not a sagging lower back.
  • -The movement is a smooth pike, not a hip bounce.
  • -Breathing continues; do not hold the breath for the whole set.

Common mistakes

  • -Sagging the hips below neutral between reps.
  • -Bending the knees to fake a higher pike.
  • -Rocking forward and back on the forearms instead of piking upward.
  • -Rushing the reps and losing the pause at the top.

Programming notes

  • -Use 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 controlled reps.
  • -Progress by adding a longer top pause before adding reps.
  • -A natural bridge between static planks and harder rollout or fallout work.

Related exercises

Suspended Abdominal Fallout

Bodyweight / Abs

Ab Wheel Rollout

Ab Wheel / Abs

Hanging Pike

Bodyweight / Abs

Jackknife Sit-Up

Bodyweight / Abs

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