3 Variations Of V-Ups Exercise And Their Benefits
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V-ups exercise is an intermediary strength move that works on your entire core. The exercise is also called Jackknife Sit-ups and Pike Crunches. It is a strength based exercise that utilizes your body weight to isolate the core area. V-ups target the abdominal muscles, tone down the obliques, strengthen your back muscles and challenge the entire core. Moreover, it works on your quadriceps and hamstrings at the same time. The exercise demands flexibility as well as caution. Although it is one of the most effective exercises for strengthening the core, it can result in lower back injury and pain if not done properly.
How To Do V Ups:
In the V-ups, you basically need to keep balance on your glutes, sit-bones while your torso and legs are off the floor. The key to do the right V-ups is to engage your abs and back muscles fully as stabilizers instead of using as momentum.
- Lie down flat on your back with your shoulder blades back, lower back pushed into the floor and abs tight. Make sure your legs are straight. Keep your arms extended straight overhead.
- Now lift your legs and arms at the same time. Keep your legs straight and lift as high as you can. Try to touch your toes with your fingers.
- Lower your back to the starting position. This is one repetition. Do 10-15 reps.
V-Ups Exercise Variations:
However, there are many variations of this V Ups exercise. Read on to know more about the variations:
Variation 1:
In this variation, you do not touch your feet on the ground the whole time. Lift your legs and torso and when you lower down, stop your legs at 45 degrees instead of setting them on the floor. Do 10-12 reps of this.
Variation 2:
In this variation, lift your legs straight up as high as you can, try to lift them until they become perpendicular to the floor. Now reach with your straight arms and try to touch your toes by lifting your upper back off the floor and crunching your abs. Again and again, lower your back to the floor and then reach up again. Do this for 30seconds to1minute. Do not lower your legs at any point of the move.
Variation 3:
If you want to intensify your V-ups, you can grab a pair of dumbbells. Keep them light. Hold a dumbbell in each hand of your extended arms and do your traditional V-ups then. You can also tie ankle weights on your ankles or wrist weights on your wrists to increase the challenge.
[ Read: Benefits Of Skipping Exercises For Your Body ]
Tips:
Here are a few tips you should keep in mind before doing V-ups:
- Warm-up your body before doing this exercise. Do simple crunches to warm up your core area and stretch your body.
- Do not strain your neck at any point in the movement. Your neck remains relaxed. In fact, some trainers suggest that those with neck problems should not do this exercise as in this exercise your hands do not support your head and neck.
- If you have lower back issues, then do not lift your back from the floor. Use your abdominal muscles as your stabilizers. This not only engages the abs completely to give better results but also keep the lower back away from the strain.
- Your arms and legs should not bend anywhere.
- Exhale when you lift the legs and inhale when you lower them down.
- It is all right if you can’t lift your legs higher than 45 degrees. If that is the most you can do then you are working yourself as hard as a more flexible person is doing. All you have to do is give your best.
[ Read: Types Of Push Ups For Women ]
So, what are you waiting for? Include this amazing move in your workout to get ripped abs. This move engages your upper and lower abs at the same time. Your abs will love it. It can’t get better, right?
