Cross-Body Crunch

How to do the Cross-Body Crunch

1. Lie flat on your back and bend your knees about 60 degrees.
2. Keep your feet flat on the floor and place your hands loosely behind your head. This will be your starting position.
3. Now curl up and bring your right elbow and shoulder across your body while bring your left knee in toward your left shoulder at the same time. Reach with your elbow and try to touch your knee. Exhale as you perform this movement. Tip: Try to bring your shoulder up towards your knee rather than just your elbow and remember that the key is to contract the abs as you perform the movement; not just to move the elbow.
4. Now go back down to the starting position as you inhale and repeat with the left elbow and the right knee.
5. Continue alternating in this manner until all prescribed repetitions are done.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	beginner
Type	compound

Train the same muscles a different way

6 alternatives for the same abs, with and without kit.

Spell Caster Dumbbell Bent Press Kettlebell Exercise Ball Pull-In Exercise Ball Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs Kettlebell Kettlebell Windmill Kettlebell Dumbbell Side Bend Dumbbell

Harder than the Cross-Body Crunch

Hanging Leg Raise expert · Bodyweight Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Bent Press expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Cross-Body Crunch with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning lower back Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Cross-Body Crunch work?

The Cross-Body Crunch primarily works the abs. 3/4 Sit-Up, Ab Roller, and Air Bike train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Cross-Body Crunch?

None — the Cross-Body Crunch is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. 3/4 Sit-Up and Ab Roller also need nothing.

Is the Cross-Body Crunch suitable for beginners?

Yes, the Cross-Body Crunch is rated beginner. Hanging Leg Raise, Hanging Pike, and Bent Press are the progressions from here.

Where should the Cross-Body Crunch go in a workout?

Early — the Cross-Body Crunch is compound, working 1 muscle group, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench and Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning later.

Similar exercises

3/4 Sit-Up Bodyweight Ab Roller Other Equipment Air Bike Bodyweight Barbell Ab Rollout Barbell Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees Barbell Barbell Rollout from Bench Barbell