Crunches
How to Do Crunches
- Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground, with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Alternatively, you can place your feet up on a bench a few inches apart with your toes turned inwards and touching.
- Place your hands lightly on either side of your head.
- Keep your elbows in so that they are parallel to your body.
- Push your back down flat into the floor to isolate your abdominal muscles.
- Gently curl your shoulders forward and up off the floor.
- Continue to push down into the floor with your lower back.
- Raise your shoulders about four to six inches only.
- Hold and squeeze your abdominal muscles for a count of one.
- Return to the start position in a smooth movement.
Build clear, professional workouts, keep clients engaged and grow your training business. Try free for 2 weeks.
Follow ready-made home and gym plans with visual demos and timers – or create custom workouts from exercises like this.
Our illustrated Yoga Cards deck is the perfect way to start practicing at home – no class, no studio, no experience needed. 100,000+ sold.
Related Abs Exercises
Kneeling Cable Crunches
Bosu Ball Chest Dumbbell Flyes / Flies
Side / Lateral Medicine Ball Throw / Slam
Crunches Exercise Details
Muscles worked
Crunches targets abs. Use the illustration and step-by-step instructions above to learn the movement pattern and practice proper form.
Equipment needed
This is an at-home exercise. Equipment required: no equipment.
Similar exercises
Related exercises that work similar muscle groups include Kneeling cable crunches, bosu ball chest dumbbell flyes / flies and side / lateral medicine ball throw / slam. Browse our free illustrated exercise directory for more exercises.
Use this exercise in a workout
Want to use this exercise in a full routine? Our WorkoutLabs Fit workout app lets you follow ready-made home and gym workout plans or build custom workouts with exercises like this. Try it free today.
Exercise illustration licensing: Our exercise and yoga pose illustrations (static and animated) are selectively available for licensing for commercial and non-commercial projects. Visit our exercise illustrations licensing page for detailed information and to submit in inquiry.
Build clear, professional workouts, keep clients engaged and grow your training business. Try free for 2 weeks.
Follow ready-made home and gym plans with visual demos and timers – or create custom workouts from exercises like this.
Our illustrated Yoga Cards deck is the perfect way to start practicing at home – no class, no studio, no experience needed. 100,000+ sold.
