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Exercises / Abdomen

3D athlete for the mcgill curl-up

McGill curl-up

Endurance
Abdomen
None

A small head-and-shoulder lift that challenges rectus abdominis while keeping the lumbar spine neutral and lightly loaded.

Also called curl up, modified curl-up.

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Where you stand

No published distribution for this exercise yet. We add one only from a peer-reviewed study.

Muscles worked

Filled: primary. Outlined: secondary.

How much

McGill-style endurance sets: short (about 10 s) holds in a descending pyramid, e.g. 6-4-2 repetitions.

Start: Supine, one knee bent, hands under the lumbar spine

Steps

Lie on the back with one knee bent and the other leg straight.
Place the hands under the low back to preserve its natural curve.
Brace gently and lift the head and shoulders a few centimetres, moving the head and neck as one unit.
Hold briefly, then lower.

Cues

Chin stays neutral; lift from the chest
Keep the low back curve on the hands

Common mistakes

Pulling on the neck
Flattening the low back or sitting up

Used for

Low back pain (abdominal endurance)
Core endurance training

Evidence (2)

Proposed to challenge the abdominals while minimising lumbar spine flexion and load.2
Curl-up produced the highest rectus abdominis activity of the stabilisation exercises tested.1

Harder

Front plank (elbow-toe)

References (2)

Okubo Y, Kaneoka K, Imai A, et al. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2010;40(11):743-750. Electromyographic analysis of transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus using wire electrodes during lumbar stabilization exercises
McGill SM. Phys Ther. 1998;78(7):754-765. Low back exercises: evidence for improving exercise regimens