Crunch with declined position

Exercise overview

Primary muscle group: Core

Exercise type: Bodyweight

Exercise goal: Strength

Key metric: Repetitions

Average reps per set*: 15

Description: Lie on your back on a declined bench and hook your feet under the rolls. Position your hands either across your chest or behind your head or neck. Press your lower back against the bench to protect it. Exhale as you raise your head and shoulders off the bench by flexing your abdomen. Hold for a count of two. Inhale as you lower your head and shoulders back to the starting position. Relax your abdomen. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Exercise ID: 00065

Community rating:

*Remark: The average values are calculated based on exercise data from the Blaze community. For more statistics and analysis, please download the Blaze app.

Exercise tips and tricks

Focus on Muscle Engagement: Ensure that you are tensing your abdominal muscles throughout the entire movement. This will maximize the effectiveness of the exercise and prevent unnecessary strain on your lower back.
Controlled Movements: Perform each crunch in a slow and controlled manner. Rapid movements can reduce the exercise's effectiveness and increase the risk of injury.
Proper Breathing: Exhale as you crunch up and inhale as you lower back down. Proper breathing enhances muscle contraction and helps maintain rhythm.
Range of Motion: Avoid coming all the way up to a sitting position, which reduces the tension on your abs. Instead, lift just enough to feel a strong contraction in your core.
Head and Neck Position: Avoid pulling on your neck with your hands. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine, and use your abs to lift your upper body rather than your neck or back.
Consistent Form: Ensure a consistent form by keeping your chin off your chest. Maintain a slight space between your chin and chest to prevent strain on your neck.
Mat Support: Use a decline bench with good padding to protect your back and provide adequate support.
Progress Slowly: If you’re new to decline crunches, start with a milder decline angle to avoid excessive strain. Gradually increase the angle as your strength and technique improve.
Add Resistance Wisely: Once basic decline crunches become easier, you can add resistance like holding a weight plate or medicine ball. Ensure added resistance is balanced and controlled.
Core Activation: Engage not just your abs but your entire core, including your obliques and lower back, to stabilize your position and enhance overall strength.

Exercise overview

Exercise tips and tricks

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