Crunches
How to do the Crunches with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Abs
,
Body Only
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.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Crunches set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your abs volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.
More abs exercises
Crunches: common questions
What muscles does the Crunches work?
The Crunches primarily works the Abs.
Is the Crunches suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Crunches is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Crunches?
None. The Crunches is a bodyweight exercise, so you can do it without any equipment.
Is the Crunches a compound or isolation exercise?
The Crunches is an isolation exercise, it targets the abs through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.
How do I do the Crunches with correct form?
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. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
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