Decline Crunch

How to do it

1. Set a decline bench to a gentle angle and lie back with your legs secured under the pads.
2. Place your hands beside or behind your head and keep your lower back against the bench.
3. Curl your ribcage toward your belly button until your shoulder blades lift a few inches off the bench.
4. Pause briefly at the top.
5. Lower slowly back to the bench without relaxing your abs.

Key cues

• Start with a gentle decline
• Lower back stays on the bench
• Chin slightly tucked
• Curl the ribs down, don't sit up
• Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

• Sitting all the way up like a sit-up
• Arching the lower back so the hip flexors take over
• Rushing the reps

Muscles worked

Primary

Abs

Secondary

Obliques and lower back

Equipment

Decline bench.

References

1. Hevy: Decline Crunch
2. Fitbod: Decline Crunch