Floor V-Sit

In SetGrip: V-Sit (Floor)

Secondary muscles
Hip Flexors
Body part
Core
Position
Lying
Laterality
Bilateral (both sides together)
Category
Strength

Track this exercise in SetGrip — no account needed

Balancing on your tailbone with legs and torso raised into a V, you hold the position rather than rep it, so the abs and hip flexors work isometrically against both levers at once. Time is the progression here - start with ten-second holds, and bend the knees slightly if the low back starts to round.

How to do the Floor V-Sit

  1. Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Lean back slightly and lift your legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
  3. Simultaneously, lift your upper body off the ground and reach your arms towards your legs.
  4. Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly lower your upper body and legs back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip: Breathe out as you crunch and let the last bit of air leave the lungs at the top of each rep.

Muscles worked

Primary

Abs · Core

The rectus abdominis shortens to bend the spine forward, and each rep should end with the upper abs fully contracted and the ribs pulled down.

Secondary

  • Hip Flexors — The hip flexors take over if your feet are anchored and you come up too high; keep the range short to leave them out.

Common mistakes

  • Pulling on the neck — hands behind the head should support, not yank; keep the elbows wide and the chin about a fist away from the chest.
  • Sitting all the way up — a crunch is a curl of the ribs toward the pelvis, not a sit-up; the lower back should stay on the floor the whole time.
  • Cranking out fast reps — momentum does the work if you bounce; lift to a squeeze, hold for a count and lower slowly.
  • Never adding load — once bodyweight reps get easy, hold a plate on the chest or use a cable rather than doing sets of 50.

Sets, reps and where it fits

GoalSets × repsRest
Strength3 × 8–1260 s
Endurance2–3 × 15–2545 s

Crunches close out a session after the heavy work, or they can fill the rest periods between sets of a lift that does not need much bracing. Pair a cable crunch with a cable side bend on the same stack.

Variations and alternatives

Similar exercises

Without bodyweight

Easier and harder

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Floor V-Sit work?

The Floor V-Sit primarily works the abs. It also involves the hip flexors, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.

Is the Floor V-Sit good for beginners?

Not as a starting point. The Floor V-Sit is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.

What can I do instead of the Floor V-Sit?

If you cannot do the Floor V-Sit, try the Hip Lift Hanging Leg Raise, the Suspension Knee Tuck or the Arms Overhead Crunch. Each of them trains the abs through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.

How many sets and reps should I do?

It depends on your goal. For the Floor V-Sit, a sensible starting point is strength: 3 × 8–12 with 60 s rest; endurance: 2–3 × 15–25 with 45 s rest. Train it at the end of a session or pair it with a lower-body lift as active rest.

Track the Floor V-Sit in SetGrip

All 1,100+ exercises with animations are in the app. No account, no sign-up — your data stays on your iPhone. Works with Apple Watch.

More exercises

Exercise data and animations are licensed ExerciseDB content used in SetGrip. This page is for general information and is not medical or coaching advice.