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EZ Bar Legs Side Pull-In Sit-Up

Step by step instructions, muscle activation and variants for the EZ Bar Legs Side Pull-In Sit-Up.

MediumAbsCore

About this exercise

A compound abdominal exercise that combines a weighted sit-up with a lateral leg pull-in, targeting both the rectus abdominis and the obliques in a single movement. Holding an EZ bar at the chest adds resistance to the sit-up while drawing the knees toward one side creates rotational core demand.

How to Perform

  • Lie flat on your back with legs extended and hold the EZ bar across your chest with both hands
  • Engage your core and simultaneously curl your upper body into a sit-up while pulling your knees toward one side of your body
  • At the top, your torso should be upright and your knees drawn in laterally, creating a twisting crunch
  • Pause briefly, then lower your torso and extend your legs back to the starting position with control
  • Alternate the side the knees pull toward on each repetition to train both obliques evenly
  • Keep the movement slow and deliberate to maximise abdominal tension throughout

Muscle Activation

Primary
AbsCore
Secondary
QuadricepsObliques

About the EZ Bar Legs Side Pull-In Sit-Up

The EZ Bar Legs Side Pull-In Sit-Up is a foundational movement that builds strength and muscle through controlled, progressive overload. Train it 1 to 2 times per week with 3 to 5 working sets per session, gradually adding weight or reps as form holds up.

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