Crunches
How to do the Crunches
- 1
Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. If you are resting your feet on a bench, place them three to four inches apart and point your toes inward so they touch.
- 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 floor to better isolate your abdominal muscles, begin to roll your shoulders off the floor.
- 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 floor only about four inches, and your lower back should remain on the floor. 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.
How to program the Crunches
Sets and reps
As an isolation movement, the Crunches is best trained with moderate loads and higher reps: 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest. Chasing heavy weight on isolation work usually degrades form before it builds muscle — prioritize a full range of motion and a controlled negative. Program it after your compound lifts.
Progression
The Crunches is beginner-friendly. Start with a load (or rep count) you can complete with clean form on every set, then add a small amount of weight or 1–2 reps each week. When you hit the top of your rep range on all sets, increase the load and drop back to the bottom of the range — simple double progression.
Put the Crunches into a plan
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Crunches work?
The Crunches primarily targets the Abdominals.
What equipment do I need for the Crunches?
You need Body Only. Difficulty level: Beginner.
How many sets and reps of the Crunches should I do?
Do 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds rest, focusing on a full range of motion and controlled tempo rather than maximum load.
