Curl-Up

Setup

1. 01Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight.
2. 02Slide both hands palms-down under the natural arch of the lower back.
3. 03Keep the elbows resting on the floor to start.
4. 04Set the head and neck in a neutral position.

Execution

1. 01Brace the abs as if preparing for light contact.
2. 02Lift the head and shoulders a few centimeters off the floor as one rigid unit.
3. 03Hold the top position for about 10 seconds while breathing.
4. 04Lower back down under control and switch legs between sets.

Checkpoints

• -The lower back does not flatten onto the hands; the arch stays.
• -Head, neck, and shoulders rise together with no chin poke.
• -The lift is small; this is a stiffness drill, not a crunch.
• -Breathing continues throughout the hold.

Common mistakes

• -Curling high like a crunch and flexing the lumbar spine.
• -Poking the chin forward and straining the neck.
• -Holding the breath during the isometric.
• -Removing the hands so the lumbar arch collapses.