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.
How to program the Decline Crunch
Sets and reps
As an isolation movement, the Decline Crunch 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 Decline Crunch is rated intermediate. Earn the right to progress: only add load when every rep of every set moves with consistent technique. Video your sets or use a mirror to check positions, and use double progression (add reps to the top of your range, then add load and reset) rather than jumping weight.
Put the Decline Crunch into a plan
Generate a free, personalized workout plan that programs this and hundreds of other exercises around your goals.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Decline Crunch work?
The Decline Crunch primarily targets the Abdominals.
What equipment do I need for the Decline Crunch?
You need Body Only. Difficulty level: Intermediate.
How many sets and reps of the Decline Crunch 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.
