ProgreviaV-sit: proper form, muscles worked and common mistakes
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How to do it
Seated, raise the torso and straight legs at once into a V and balance on the sit bones with a tall spine. High rectus and hip-flexor demand; an advanced progression of the hollow hold.
Muscles worked
Main muscle: abs. When it plans weekly volume, every set of this exercise counts in full for abs: the generator does not split it with other muscles.
V-sit versus the hanging leg raise: balance instead of momentum
Compared with the Hanging leg raise, the V-sit changes the scene: there is no bar and no swing; you sit on the floor and trunk and legs rise together until they fold into a V. Because the movement is short and nearly static, the demand moves to balancing on your sit bones and compressing the abs against long legs, and grip stops being the limit. It also asks for real flexibility in the back of the thigh: with tight hamstrings, keeping the legs straight and the back straight at once is hard. It is the natural evolution of the Hollow hold.
This is an advanced exercise, so do not use it as your first ab movement. Move into it once the hollow hold comes out clean. To start, bend your knees and set your hands beside your hips, then remove the support gradually. A wider V with a tall chest beats a tight V with a collapsed back. If your lower back bothers you, drop to an easier variation.
Progress in this order: knees bent with hands helping, knees bent without hands, one leg extended, and finally both legs straight. Keep the sets short; when holding your balance turns into a full-body fight, that is a good moment to stop.
Technical sheet
- Movement pattern
- Core
- Minimum level
- Advanced
- Technical demand
- Advanced
- Fatigue it generates
- Low (0.6 out of 2.2)
- Risk if technique breaks down
- Low
These are the values the generator uses to decide where the exercise goes within the session.
Recommended sets and reps
As an isolation exercise, it works best in 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 0–2 RIR. Use it at the end of the session to add volume without systemic fatigue.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Swinging your legs with momentum instead of curling your pelvis up with your abs.
- Sticking with the same version once you can do more than 20 reps: move to a harder variation or add load.
- Adding weight before you own the movement: the risk here rises when technique breaks down, so only go heavier once every rep looks the same.
What the research says
This is an isolation exercise. For beginners, adding it on top of compound lifts does not always help: in the trial by Gentil and colleagues (2013), people who only did lat pulldowns gained as much arm size as those who also did curls. It earns its place with experience, and for muscles the big lifts leave short.
On how hard to push: the meta-analysis by Refalo and colleagues (2023) found no clear advantage in going to failure over stopping just short of it. That is why the generator programs it with reps in reserve (RIR) instead of asking for failure on every set.
- Gentil P, Soares SR, Pereira MC, et al. Effect of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance-training program on strength and hypertrophy in untrained subjects. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. 2013;38(3):341-344.
- Refalo MC, Helms ER, Trexler ET, Hamilton DL, Fyfe JJ. Influence of resistance training proximity-to-failure on skeletal muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2023;53(3):649-665.
How V-sit compares with other abs exercises
Of the 14 abs exercises in the catalogue, ranked from least to most fatiguing by the values the generator uses, V-sit is number 10 (tied with one other).
That makes it a good candidate for adding abs sets at the end of a session or in heavy weeks, when you want volume without extra fatigue.
With different equipment, the same movement pattern offers 3 alternatives, such as Cable crunch, Pallof press and Landmine rotation.
| Exercise | Equipment | Fatigue | Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side plank | bodyweight | Low (0.4 out of 2.2) | Basic |
| Hollow hold | bodyweight | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Lateral plank walk | bodyweight | Low (0.5 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Hanging leg raise | bodyweight | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| V-sit | bodyweight | Low (0.6 out of 2.2) | Advanced |
| Ab Wheel (kneeling) | bodyweight | Moderate (0.8 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Ab wheel rollout | bodyweight | Moderate (0.8 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
| Landmine rotation | barbell | Moderate (0.9 out of 2.2) | Needs coaching |
Bodyweight. In the trial by Kotarsky et al. (2018), four weeks of progressively harder push-ups significantly improved bench press 1RM, just like training the bench press itself. It is a strength result, not a hypertrophy one, and the condition is the word progressive: the exercise has to keep getting harder.
An isolation exercise. In the trial by Gentil et al. (2015), with untrained young men over ten weeks, the biceps curl and the lat pulldown were equally effective for gaining strength and size in the elbow flexors: isolation is not filler.
- Kotarsky CJ, Christensen BK, Miller JS, Hackney KJ. Effect of progressive calisthenic push-up training on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2018;32(3):651-659.
- Gentil P, Soares S, Bottaro M. Single vs. multi-joint resistance exercises: effects on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. 2015;6(2):e24057.
Related guide
How to get visible abs: the truth about the six-pack
Alternative exercises
More core exercises
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does V-sit work?
V-sit mainly works the abs muscle group, plus synergist and stabilizer muscles depending on the variation.
How many sets of V-sit should I do?
Between 3 and 5 sets per session, adjusting the total weekly volume for abs to your level (about 10–20 sets per muscle per week).
Why can't I straighten my legs in a V-sit without rounding my back?
It is almost always a mix of tight hamstrings and too little strength to keep the chest tall. Bend your knees until your back is straight and extend them a little at a time over the weeks. Work on hamstring mobility as well: a wide V with a long spine is worth more than a tight one with a caved-in torso.
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