Decline Crunch

How to do the Decline Crunch

1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down.
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. 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. 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. After the one second contraction, begin to come down slowly again to the starting position as you inhale.
6. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Equipment	no equipment
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	isolation

Train the same muscles a different way

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

Dumbbell Side Bend Dumbbell Exercise Ball Crunch Exercise Ball Weighted Ball Side Bend Exercise Ball Spell Caster Dumbbell Weighted Crunches Medicine Ball Barbell Side Bend Barbell

Easier than the Decline Crunch

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Alternate Heel Touchers beginner · Bodyweight Barbell Side Bend beginner · Barbell Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends beginner · Cable Machine

Harder than the Decline Crunch

Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Bent Press expert · Kettlebell Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees expert · Barbell

Superset the Decline Crunch with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back Weighted Ball Hyperextension lower back Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Decline Crunch work?

The Decline Crunch primarily works the abs. Ab Crunch Machine, Alternate Heel Touchers, and Barbell Side Bend train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Decline Crunch?

None — the Decline Crunch is bodyweight, so it works at home, in a hotel room or outdoors. Ab Crunch Machine and Alternate Heel Touchers also need nothing.

Is the Decline Crunch suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Alternate Heel Touchers, Barbell Side Bend, and Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends and work up.

Where should the Decline Crunch go in a workout?

Late — the Decline Crunch is isolation work, so it follows your compounds. Supersetting it with Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench and Barbell Deadlift cuts session time without extra rest.

Similar exercises

Ab Crunch Machine Machine Alternate Heel Touchers Bodyweight Barbell Side Bend Barbell Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends Cable Machine Cable Crunch Cable Machine Cable Reverse Crunch Cable Machine