A Crossed Leg or a Wide Leg Sit-Up Exercise

Because your core involves more than just your ab muscles, it makes sense to do core exercises that work muscles other than your rectus abdominis. A cross leg or wide leg situp exercise engages your hip flexors, hamstrings and back as well as a myriad of abdominal muscles. Performing the moves with good form is key for getting the most out of them.

  1. Prep For Wide Leg Situps

    • To get started, lie with your back on the floor and your legs straight and spread wider than shoulder-width apart. The range of motion involved in this move means you will be strengthening your hamstrings and hip flexors, similar to when you perform a standing hip flexor exercise. This version is easier than the cross legged version, because other large muscle groups, besides your abs, are involved in the workload. Both versions, however, work your back, abdominal and oblique muscles.

    Prep For Cross Leg Sit Up

    • You can cross your legs first and then lie back, if you prefer.

      To perform the more advanced cross legged version, lie with your back to the ground and cross your legs in front of you. This version of the move is more difficult than the wide leg version, because you are centering your weight toward your middle and your abs will have to really engage in order to get you up. You don't have the weight of your legs countering your move, and you won't get a lot of help from your hip flexors.

    The Move

    • Reach one hand straight up toward the sky and place your other hand behind your head. Sit up, raising the fingertips of your raised hand even higher as you go. Once you are sitting straight up, with a fluid motion -- so there is no break in the movement -- reach your raised hand to your opposite toe for the wide leg version or the knee for the cross leg version. Lower yourself back down with a controlled movement and switch hands. Repeat the move on the other side.

    Modifications

    • The cross leg version is an advanced move and if you have any difficulty with it, you should start with the wide leg version. If you can't keep your legs on the floor while you sit up, tuck your feet under the sofa or have a partner apply gentle pressure on your lower legs. Your hip and leg muscles will be doing the lion's share of the work with this modification, but your abs will begin to "learn" the move and eventually you will be able to complete the move without help and you might be able to move on to the cross leg version.