How to do an Overhead Weighted Sit Up
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Overhead Weighted Sit Up
Instructions for Proper Form
Overhead Weighted Sit Up is a variation on the standard Sit Up. By holding a weight overhead, you not only add resistance to the movement but also engage your shoulders and upper back. This additional resistance and muscle engagement make it a more challenging exercise, ideal for building core strength and improving overall stability.
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor while holding onto a weighted plate with extended arms directly above your chest. Feel free to secure your feet if necessary.
- Raise your torso up off of the ground keeping your arms extended until your torso is vertical and the weighted plate is directly over top of your head. Ensure your back is straight throughout the exercise.
- Controllable lower your torso to the starting position.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Overhead Weighted Sit Up standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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- beginner8reps25lbs1 Rep Max30lbs
- intermediate8reps35lbs45lbs
- advanced8reps45lbs55lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Overhead Weighted Sit Up
1. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 155 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 149 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
3. Sit Up
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 137 TIMESSit Up is one of the most common exercises out there. It’s a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. Sit Ups are very similar to Crunches, however, rather than raising just your shoulder blades off the ground, you raise your entire upper body. This gives you a bit more range of motion than Crunches, however you’ll start to lose some tension in your core at the top of the movement.
4. Decline Overhead Weighted Sit Up
58.2 mSCORESWAPPED 118 TIMESThis exercise is a variation on the more standard Sit Up. Unlike Sit Ups, this is a weighted exercise. In addition to added resistance, the use of a decline bench helps you get more consistent tension in your core, especially near the top of the movement. This is a great variation for adding significantly more challenge to your Sit Ups.
5. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 102 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
6. Cable Crunch
88.8 mSCORESWAPPED 89 TIMESCable Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Unlike Crunches, this is a weighted exercise that does not have you laying on your back. Instead of using your bodyweight for resistance, you use a cable machine. This gives you more control over your resistance, as well as more control over the direction that resistance is coming from.
7. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 87 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
8. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 84 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.