Decline Crunch
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down.
- 2Now place your hands lightly on either side of your head keeping your elbows in. Tip: Don't lock your fingers behind your head.
- 3While pushing the small of your back down in the bench to better isolate your abdominal muscles, begin to roll your shoulders off it.
- 4Continue 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.
- 5After the one second contraction, begin to come down slowly again to the starting position as you inhale.
- 6Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
About Decline Crunch
The decline crunch is performed on a bench angled head-down: gravity increases the range and resistance on the rectus abdominis, which works harder than on the floor. Feet secured, hands on the chest or behind the head, you curl the trunk toward the thighs without pulling on your neck, then brake the descent. The steeper the angle, the harder it gets. It is a sound choice for intermediate lifters who have plateaued on the floor crunch and want to overload the abs, even before moving to the pulley or added weight.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleGreater range than on the floor for a deeper ab stretch
- check_circleMore gravitational resistance thanks to the negative incline
- check_circleA natural progression from the standard crunch once mastered
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbLock your legs firmly under the pads to stay stable
- lightbulbCurl the upper back without straining the lower spine
- lightbulbDon't lower all the way flat, so the abs stay under tension
- lightbulbStart with no load before adding a plate on the chest
warningCommon mistakes
- warningDropping too far and hyperextending the lower back
- warningSnapping up with momentum from the descent
- warningPulling on the head instead of curling the trunk
- warningChoosing too steep a decline before the technique is solid
helpFrequently asked questions
Is it suitable for beginners?expand_more
Better to master the floor crunch first; the decline makes the move more demanding on the trunk.
How do I make it harder?expand_more
Increase the bench angle or hold a plate against your chest for extra resistance.
Is the decline crunch bad for your neck?expand_more
No, when done correctly: do not pull on your head with your hands, keep the chin slightly tucked and let the abs do the work. Neck pain almost always comes from pulling with the arms.
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