Decline Bench Crunch

How to do it

1. Set a decline bench to a moderate angle and hook your feet under the rollers at the high end.
2. Lie back with the head at the low end and the knees bent over the top pad.
3. Place the fingertips behind the ears or cross the arms over the chest.
4. Curl the head, shoulders and upper back up toward the knees, keeping the lower back on the pad.
5. Pause, then lower slowly until the shoulders touch the bench.

Tips

• A steeper angle makes it harder, start moderate.
• Think about rolling the ribs down, not about pulling with the feet.

Common mistakes

• Sitting all the way up so the hip flexors take over.
• Pulling the neck with the hands.
• Dropping back quickly at the bottom.

Muscles worked by the Decline Bench Crunch

• Upper abs Primary42%
• Lower abs Primary31%
• Obliques Secondary18%
• Hip flexors Minor9%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

A decline bench increases the range against gravity. Curling the ribcage toward the pelvis is spinal flexion by rectus abdominis, with the obliques assisting; a full sit up adds the hip flexors.

Decline Bench Crunch alternatives

Same equipment

• Weighted Decline CrunchOther equipment

Different equipment

• Ab Crunch MachineMachine
• Cable CrunchCable

Easier

• Long Arm CrunchBodyweight
• Toe Touch CrunchBodyweight

No equipment

• Decline CrunchBodyweight

Make it harder

• Weighted Decline CrunchOther equipment
• Decline Weighted Sit UpOther equipment
• V-UpBodyweight
• Weighted CrunchOther equipment

Make it easier

• Long Arm CrunchBodyweight
• Toe Touch CrunchBodyweight
• Ab Crunch MachineMachine
• Cable CrunchCable

Similar exercises

• CrunchBodyweight
• Decline Sit UpBodyweight
• Suitcase CrunchBodyweight

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Decline Bench Crunch work?

Mainly the upper abs and lower abs. The obliques assist.

Is the Decline Bench Crunch good for beginners?

The Decline Bench Crunch is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Long Arm Crunch first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Decline Bench Crunch?

For example the Decline Crunch, Weighted Decline Crunch and Long Arm Crunch. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Decline Bench Crunch harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Weighted Decline Crunch and Decline Weighted Sit Up.

Sources

• Escamilla et al. 2006, Phys Ther 86(5):656-671 (traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises)

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