Abs
Long Arm Crunch
The Long Arm Crunch is a strength exercise with no equipment for your abs. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: upper abs 45%, lower abs 31% and obliques 20%.
How to do it
- Lie on your back on a mat with knees bent and feet flat.
- Stretch the arms straight overhead, biceps beside the ears, hands together.
- Curl the head, arms and shoulders off the floor as one unit by bringing the ribs toward the hips.
- Pause at the top without letting the arms fall forward.
- Lower slowly back to the floor.
Tips
- Keep the arms locked beside the ears, the longer lever is what makes this harder.
- Breathe out as you curl up.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the arms forward to get up.
- Letting the head drop behind the arms.
- Arching the lower back off the floor.
Muscles worked by the Long Arm Crunch
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.
Variants that lengthen the lever. Curling the ribcage toward the pelvis is spinal flexion by rectus abdominis, with the obliques assisting; a full sit up adds the hip flexors.
Long Arm Crunch alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Long Arm Crunch work?
Mainly the upper abs and lower abs. The obliques assist.
Is the Long Arm Crunch good for beginners?
Yes. The Long Arm Crunch is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Long Arm Crunch?
For example the Ab Crunch Machine, Cable Crunch and Cable Crunch Standing. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Long Arm Crunch harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cable Crunch Standing and Seated Cable Crunch.
Sources
- Escamilla et al. 2006, Phys Ther 86(5):656-671 (traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises)
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