Otis-Up

How to do the Otis-Up

1. Secure your feet and lay back on the floor. Your knees should be bent. Hold a weight with both hands to your chest. This will be your starting position.
2. Initiate the movement by flexing the hips and spine to raise your torso up from the ground.
3. As you move up, press the weight up so that it is above your head at the top of the movement.
4. Return the weight to your chest as you reverse the sit-up motion, ensuring not to go all the way down to the floor.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Secondary	chest, shoulders, triceps
Equipment	other equipment
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

No other equipment? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Spider Crawl Bodyweight 3/4 Sit-Up Bodyweight Air Bike Bodyweight Bent-Knee Hip Raise Bodyweight Bottoms Up Bodyweight Butt-Ups Bodyweight

Harder than the Otis-Up

Hanging Leg Raise expert · Bodyweight Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees expert · Barbell

Superset the Otis-Up with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Otis-Up work?

The Otis-Up primarily works the abs, with the chest, shoulders, and triceps as secondary movers. Pallof Press With Rotation, Spider Crawl, and Bent Press train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Otis-Up?

The Right Equipment. Without the right equipment, Spider Crawl, 3/4 Sit-Up, and Air Bike train the same muscle, and 45 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Otis-Up suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Otis-Up is rated beginner. Hanging Leg Raise, Hanging Pike, and Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees are the progressions from here.

Where should the Otis-Up go in a workout?

Early — the Otis-Up is compound, working 4 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) and Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning later.

Similar exercises

Pallof Press With Rotation Cable Machine Spider Crawl Bodyweight Bent Press Kettlebell Kettlebell Windmill Kettlebell Pallof Press Cable Machine Ab Roller Other Equipment