How to do the Decline Crunch
Hook your feet under the decline bench pads and lie back.
Place your hands on your chest or lightly beside your head.
Curl your torso up by contracting your abs, without pulling on your neck.
Lower slowly and under control.
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 2–4 | 10–15 | 45 s |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 45 s |
When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add a rep or a harder variation next session.
Starting points from training research. Stop each set 1–3 reps short of failure.
Muscles worked
Primary
The abs flex your spine and stop it from arching. Mix crunching moves (crunches, leg raises) with anti-extension work (planks, rollouts).
Alternatives
Same muscles, similar movement: swap in one of these if the Decline Crunch doesn’t suit your gym or your joints.
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