Movement Demo | Tuck Ups

Rogue athlete Arielle Loewen demonstrates proper form for Tuck Ups in this quick and simple movement demo from Rogue HQ.

The tuck-up is a bodyweight core exercise where you lie flat and then simultaneously lift your knees to your chest and arms forward, folding into a tucked position. It mimics the compression required in gymnastics movements (like kipping, T2B, or muscle-ups) but in a simplified way. The movement is actually a regression of the v-up, but is considered a key movement to help develop core strength and control and is a gateway movement to the like of many kipping movements including toes to bar.

Benefits

• Builds midline strength focussing on the abdominals and deeper core stabilizers.
• Builds hip flexor strength.
• Trains timing between upper and lower body, therefore focussing on co-ordination.
• Reinforces hollow body mechanics, helping with kipping pull-ups, toes-to-bar, and muscle-ups.
• Easier than the V-Up since knees bend, shortening the lever.
• No equipment required, effective with just bodyweight.
• Scalable & Progressive, easy to regress or progress depending on level.

Set Up

• Lie flat on your back, arms by your sides or hands under your hips for support.
• Press lower back into the floor and contract your abdominals, creating a hollow shape.

Execution

• Simultaneously lift legs and torso off the ground.
• Legs bend at the knees, but still try to point the toes.
• Arms start behind the head and can “swing” up.
• Pull the knees towards the chest and the hands can reach to the feet.
• Aim to touch hands to feet, creating a “tuck” position.
• Try and be balanced on the glutes.
• Lower legs and torso back to starting position under control.
• Avoid arching your lower back or slamming down.

Regressions

• Flutter Kicks, build some strength and capacity in the hip flexors.
• AbMat Sit Up, build some core strength and capacity in the abdominals.
• Tuck hold, hold a tucked position.
• Rocking Tuck Hold, holding the tucked position aim to rock from the hips to shoulders ensuring no movement about the spine.
• Partial Tuck-Up, bring only knees halfway up or keep hands braced behind thighs..
• Single-Leg Tuck-Up, alternate bringing one knee in at a time.

Progressions

• Weighted Tuck-Up, hold a medicine ball, plate, or dumbbell overhead and/or wear ankle weights.
• Paused Tuck-Up, where the goal is to pause briefly at the top of the tuck position.
• V -Ups.

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