Bottoms Up
How to do the Bottoms Up
- 1
Begin by lying on your back on the ground. Your legs should be straight and your arms at your side. This will be your starting position.
- 2
To perform the movement, tuck the knees toward your chest by flexing the hips and knees. Following this, extend your legs directly above you so that they are perpendicular to the ground. Rotate and elevate your pelvis to raise your glutes from the floor.
- 3
After a brief pause, return to the starting position.
How to program the Bottoms Up
Sets and reps
As a compound movement, the Bottoms Up responds well to heavier loading. For strength, work in the 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps range with 2–3 minutes of rest between sets. For muscle growth, 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with 90 seconds of rest is the classic hypertrophy zone. Place it early in your session, when you're freshest, and leave 1–3 reps in reserve on most sets.
Progression
The Bottoms Up is beginner-friendly. Start with a load (or rep count) you can complete with clean form on every set, then add a small amount of weight or 1–2 reps each week. When you hit the top of your rep range on all sets, increase the load and drop back to the bottom of the range — simple double progression.
Put the Bottoms Up into a plan
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Bottoms Up work?
The Bottoms Up primarily targets the Abdominals.
What equipment do I need for the Bottoms Up?
You need Body Only. Difficulty level: Beginner.
How many sets and reps of the Bottoms Up should I do?
For strength, do 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps with 2–3 minutes rest. For muscle growth, do 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps with about 90 seconds rest.
