GHD Sit‑Ups

Overview

The GHD sit‑up, performed on a glute–ham developer, challenges your anterior chain through an extended range of motion that traditional floor sit‑ups can’t touch. By lowering the torso past horizontal, you load the rectus abdominis, hip flexors, and quads eccentrically before snapping back up with explosive hip extension and a strong midline brace.

The move has become a CrossFit benchmark for core stamina and movement virtuosity—think Annie, Gwen, or high‑volume team events at the Games. When executed with sound setup and control, it builds midline capacity for Olympic lifts, kipping gymnastics, and running posture.

How to Perform

Setup: Adjust the GHD so that your hips sit just forward of the pad’s apex when your feet are locked into the roller pads. Knees are slightly bent, and the seat/footplate distance allows a comfortable squeeze without ankle pain.

Execution: Start upright with hands crossed on chest. Tuck chin, roll down segmentally until fingertips touch the floor behind you, keeping rib cage pulled toward pelvis. Reverse by flexing abs first, then firing hip flexors to whip torso up. Finish with shoulders stacked over hips and glutes squeezed.

Key Tips: Squeeze quads throughout to protect lumbar spine. Keep reps smooth; treat the floor touch as a checkpoint, not a bounce. Exhale on ascent to brace.

Technique Focus

• Pad Placement – Hips just in front of pad apex to allow full spine extension without lumbar hyper‑extension.
• Active Descent – Lower under control; don’t free‑fall.
• Hip Snap – Drive quads and hip flexors aggressively to initiate ascent.
• Neutral Neck – Keep gaze neutral; avoid cervical whiplash.
• Consistent Breathing – Exhale sharply at mid‑range on each rep.

Prerequisites

Build these baseline metrics before tackling high‑rep GHD sit‑ups:

• 30 Unbroken Ab‑Mat Sit‑Ups with feet unanchored.
• 20 Hollow Rocks maintaining lumbar contact.
• 10 Hip Extensions on GHD for posterior‑chain balance.

Coaching Cues

• “Quads tight.”
• “Touch, don’t bounce.”
• “Snap hips, ribs down.”
• “Exhale up.”

Common Mistakes

• Bouncing off floor – jars lumbar discs; control the bottom.
• Pad too far forward – forces lumbar hyper‑extension.
• Loose quads – shifts load to spine.
• Inconsistent depth – train proprioception with fingertip touch every rep.

Programming Tips

• Sprinkle 10‑15 reps in warm‑ups to activate hip flexors before Olympic lifts.
• Program 3×25 in conditioning pieces; cap weekly volume at 90‑120 reps to avoid DOMS.
• Pair with back extensions or reverse hypers for balanced trunk development.

Mobility Focus

Tight hip flexors or thoracic immobility limit range. Include couch stretch and cat‑camel drills pre‑session.

Wrap‑Up

GHD sit‑ups develop powerful hip flexion, resilient abs, and an iron midline—assets that transfer to every CrossFit skill. Master setup, control the bottom, and respect progressive volume to harvest gains without spinal strain.

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