V-up

Cómo hacer el V-up

1. 1Lie flat on your back on a mat with your legs straight and your arms extended overhead, palms facing each other.
2. 2Press your lower back into the mat and brace your core before initiating any movement.
3. 3Exhale and simultaneously lift your legs and your upper body off the mat, keeping both as straight as possible.
4. 4Reach your hands toward your feet as you rise, aiming to form a V shape with your body while balancing on your tailbone.
5. 5Hold the top position for one count, feeling the contraction in your rectus abdominis and iliopsoas.
6. 6Inhale and slowly lower both your legs and your upper body back to the mat under control.
7. 7Return your arms to the overhead position and allow your legs to extend fully before beginning the next repetition.
8. 8Continue for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining a steady tempo without bouncing off the mat at the bottom.

Consejos de técnica

• Keep your legs as straight as possible throughout — a slight bend at the knee is acceptable for beginners, but the straighter the legs, the greater the demand on the iliopsoas and rectus abdominis.
• Lead the upward phase with both limbs at the same rate; if your legs rise before your torso, the hip flexors do most of the work and the abdominals are underloaded.
• Control the descent fully — lowering your legs and torso slowly increases time under tension and protects the lower back from impact at the bottom.
• Keep your gaze directed at your feet rather than at the ceiling to maintain a neutral cervical spine throughout the movement.
• If balance at the top is difficult, briefly touch your fingertips to your shins rather than forcing a hold that causes the hips to rock.

Errores comunes

• Swinging the arms and legs with momentum — using a ballistic snap removes tension from the rectus abdominis and iliopsoas and increases the risk of lower back strain at the bottom of each rep.
• Allowing the lower back to arch off the mat at the start — failing to brace the core before lifting shifts stress from the abdominals to the lumbar spine and hip flexors alone.
• Bending the knees excessively — significantly bent knees reduce the lever arm of the legs, making the movement easier than intended and limiting iliopsoas and quadriceps engagement.
• Only lifting the upper body while the legs lag behind — this turns the exercise into a sit-up variation and underloads the hip flexors and lower abdominals.
• Holding the breath during the effort — breath-holding spikes intra-abdominal pressure; exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower to maintain steady output across reps.

Preguntas frecuentes