Decline Crunch

Muscles Worked

The abdominals handles the primary load during this movement. This isolation movement keeps tension concentrated on a single muscle group.

How to Decline Crunch

1. 1

   Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down.

2. 2

   Now place your hands lightly on either side of your head keeping your elbows in. Tip: Don't lock your fingers behind your head.

3. 3

   While pushing the small of your back down in the bench to better isolate your abdominal muscles, begin to roll your shoulders off it.

4. 4

   Continue to push down as hard as you can with your lower back as you contract your abdominals and exhale. Your shoulders should come up off the bench only about four inches, and your lower back should remain on the bench. At the top of the movement, contract your abdominals hard and keep the contraction for a second. Tip: Focus on slow, controlled movement - don't cheat yourself by using momentum.

5. 5

   After the one second contraction, begin to come down slowly again to the starting position as you inhale.

6. 6

   Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

• • Focus on the mind-muscle connection — feel the target muscle working through each rep.
• • Use a controlled tempo of 2 seconds up, 2 seconds down to eliminate momentum.
• • If reps become too easy, slow the tempo or add a pause at the hardest point rather than rushing through more reps.
• • Squeeze at peak contraction for a full second — this is where most of the growth stimulus occurs.

Similar Exercises

3/4 Sit-Up

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Ab Crunch Machine

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Ab Roller

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Advanced Kettlebell Windmill

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Air Bike

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Alternate Heel Touchers

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Frequently Asked Questions