Crunches on incline bench- one of the most effective exercises for pumping the press. It makes straight, external and internal obliques work abdominal muscles simultaneously. We will discuss in this article how to perform it correctly and what mistakes should be avoided.
Species
Let's look at the technique of the exercise; the exercise is considered not dangerous, but for it to be effective, the technique must be perfect.
Classic
Lie down on an incline bench with your legs firmly and comfortably secured. Place your hands behind your head, elbows pointing inward; if curling your hands is uncomfortable, you can use a towel. Watch your neck; there should be no stress on it from your hands. Press your lower back tightly against the bench to isolate your abdominal muscles. This is the starting position.
As you exhale, begin twisting while lifting your shoulders off the bench, while pressing your lower back into the bench as hard as possible.
Make sure your shoulders rise no more than 15 centimeters from the bench. At the end of the movement, tighten your abdominal muscles as much as possible and return to starting position.
The legs can be kept straight or bent. Make sure that there is no traumatic stress on the lower spine and rectus back muscles. You can also use various weights to complicate the training process and increase the load on the abdominal muscles.
What muscles are involved?
Our abdominal region consists of 3 types of main muscles. These are the serratus abdominis, external obliques and rectus abdominis. Remember, there are no separate top and lower cubes The press is all one muscle, and the desired cubes are its surface and a sign of good training, they are visible with a low percentage of fat and good physical shape.
Also, during crunches, the lower back muscles work in a static mode; some call them the lumbar columns; they fix our lower back on the bench.
Oblique crunches
There is also a variant of oblique crunches, which allows you to effectively work out the serratus abdominal muscles and oblique abdominal muscles. The technique of the exercise and its complexity are suitable for all types of fitness, whether beginners or professionals.
Lie down on an incline bench with your feet firmly and securely in the supports. Place one hand on the back of your head, the other on your thigh. This is the starting position. Start twisting top part body, moving up and to the side, twisting the torso until the elbow touches the opposite knee. Slowly return to the starting position. Perform the exercise the required number of times.
While performing the exercise, do not hold your breath, and perform all movements slowly, keeping your abdominal muscles tense. It is important to feel the load.
Common mistakes
At first glance, crunching on an incline bench is an elementary exercise, but even with it you can make many mistakes that can harm your health and worsen the quality of the training process.
First mistake
This is a clasp of hands behind the head. Why is this dangerous, you think? It's all about the biomechanical processes of our body. When performing crunches, we tense the right part of the body, thereby involuntarily giving force impulses to the arms, while the arms will try to push us upward.
The neck will take an unnatural position and due to this you can get injuries such as a pinched nerve, injury to the cervical vertebrae, or curvature of the upper spine. These are the most common injuries.
Second
While performing crunches, you may be familiar with it from your school desk, or rather, from physical education lessons. This is to lift your lower back off while performing an exercise. We're all used to doing abs on the beam, using the full range of our body, thereby providing excellent abs, but recent studies have shown that basic sit-ups can be detrimental to our spine.
The thing is that due to body weight, there is an unwanted load on the spinal column, and with frequent performance of such an exercise, a deterioration in the condition of the subjects was noticed. Therefore, twisting has been proposed as a worthy alternative that has positive qualities and does not affect the spine.
Also, you should not allow sudden jerks in movements, strongly twist your body to the sides, or perform exercises while slouching.
Third
A mistake that can cause damage training process, this is incorrect breathing. Holding your breath causes a lack of oxygen in our body. During exercise, our muscles use oxygen as one of the types of fuel, so we need to breathe while twisting, inhale, and while returning to the starting position, exhale.
Proper breathing also normalizes blood pressure. Because when doing crunches on an incline bench, our heart has to pump blood up and down. Therefore, due to improper breathing and its delay, you may begin to feel dizzy, have attacks of nausea, increased blood pressure and other negative consequences.
Making classes more difficult
Complications are often used in athletic gymnastics, cross-fit and fitness. An exercise such as incline crunches can be made more difficult as the abdominal muscles adapt to the load over time. Therefore, you can train your abs every other day, and as a complication, use adding weight and changing the angle of the bench.
To select weights, use any objects that can be held in your hands; this could be a barbell or a medicine ball, or a stack of books if training takes place at home.
How to choose the optimal weight. The weight of the weight can be selected using a simple test, you need to do 20-30 crunches with weights, if you do not feel a burning sensation in the muscles, then you can add weight.
The angle of inclination can make it more difficult to perform crunches by increasing the amplitude; the lower your starting position, the more difficult the repetitions are for you.
Professionals use a wide angle and well-chosen weights.
- If you have a hard time doing crunches, bend your knees slightly, thereby reducing the static load on your abs.
- If you want to give static tension, then keep your legs straight.
- Also, to apply static tension to the abdominal muscles, you can raise and hold your arms above your head, thereby you will stretch the muscles well and they will be tense.
Reverse crunches
Reverse crunches or incline leg raises. Universal exercise to work the lower part of the rectus abdominal muscle. It also has a beneficial effect on the lumbar region.
Exercise technique
You need to lie on an inclined bench, feet down. Hold the bench tightly with your hands and try not to slide down the bench. Keep your abdominal muscles tense. Raise your legs and bend your knees slightly. This is the starting position.
Trying to touch your knees to your chest, lift your legs, lifting your pelvis off the bench. Hold the position for 2 seconds and return to the starting position. Beginners can do this exercise on a straight bench. To complicate matters, you can use .
Hello. In this article, I will tell you about a mega-effective exercise aimed at working the rectus abdominis muscle (abs) - reverse crunches on an incline bench.
For those who don't know, this exercise is one of the many variations. So, in fact, nothing new 🙁 but, personally, I like this variation of reverse twists much more (it is also more effective) than the usual classic version.
Its only disadvantage (not affecting people working out in a fitness club) is that to perform it you will need special equipment: an “incline bench” or “ special simulator, specifically for this exercise" or "bench upside down" (i.e. in home exercise, can't help it).
In a fitness club, there is a ton of this stuff... and even if there is no “special exercise machine specifically for this exercise,” you can do it on an incline bench (all gyms certainly have it) or, what’s even more convenient, on a bench where you press barbell upside down... (for those who are not in the know, ask a trainer to help you).
In general, here is what this incline bench looks like upside down (where you usually press the barbell) and where you can (where I recommend you) perform reverse crunches on an incline bench, without any problems: 
Reverse crunches on an incline bench: technique of execution
The exercise can be performed in different ways: With legs bent (a lighter version intended for beginners and intermediate levels of training), with legs fully extended (straight)(the most difficult (and therefore the most effective) manner of performing this exercise is intended only for advanced boys and girls).
We will consider the option with straight legs, but don’t worry, there is no difference in technique between bent/straight legs, the main thing for you is to understand the essence of what to actually do... and then you will try.
1 / Lie with your back on the bench and grab its upper edge with your hands (to provide support). Support is required (without it, you will not be able to perform the exercise). After this, lift your legs off the floor and extend and keep them parallel to the floor. The legs are slightly (just a little) bent at the knees, keeping the legs together. See below for a visual/explanatory photo demonstration:
2 / As you exhale, begin to lift your legs together with your pelvis up, using your abs. Don't think about how to lift your legs up, think about how to round your pelvis (up) as you lift your legs. This is very important!!!
Most often, people simply raise their legs up, then lower their legs back (without engaging the pelvis in the work). This is a big mistake. Anatomically, the function of the press is to lift (twist) the pelvis, not the legs.
3 / In general, when you raise your legs and pelvis up, hold for a second in this position (at the top point), then slowly, under control, lower your legs and pelvis to the starting position.
Please note that by lowering your legs down, you keep them under control, i.e. you don’t throw them and don’t work “in jerks”, you must control everything (lowering is smooth, under control).
4 / After which, repeat everything again, completing the planned number of repetitions; by the way, for the vast majority of people, I recommend standard 3 sets of 10-15 reps...
With this, I end this issue. For dessert - video: a visual demonstration of this exercise:
— In the male version:
— In the female version:
Best regards, administrator.
Lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>
Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. CMS in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.
Place in: out of competition ()
Date: 2012-05-29 Views: 2 365 147 Grade: 4.9
Why medals are given to articles:
Additional- iliopsoas
Difficulty of execution- average
Crunches on an inclined bench - video
Weight and reps for beginners
For men: 10 - 15 repetitions without weight. 2 - 3 approaches.For women: 10 - 15 repetitions without weight. 2 - 3 approaches.
Load by muscle group
The load is indicated on a 10-point scale (the total load is summed up)Restrictions for injuries/illness/pain
The degree of risk is indicated on a 10-point scaleDescription of the exercise
The incline crunch is basic exercise for abdominal training. It allows for many variations, varying in their impact and severity. This exercise is suitable both for the beginning of any workout (as a warm-up) and for the end. Main features
1. The higher the inclination of the bench, the harder it is to do this exercise (all other things being equal). 2. Your task is to twist as much as possible (hunch your back) so that your abs work. If you rise with a straight back, it will not be the abs that will work, but the iliopsoas muscle. 3. You can either lower yourself completely onto the bench (while stretching your abs) or not lower yourself all the way. In the second case, the amplitude will be smaller. However, the abs will pound faster and harder. 4. You can use a barbell disc as a weight. You can place it either on your chest (easier option) or behind your head (more complicated option). 5. If you want the iliopsoas muscle to be disabled and only the abs to work, then do not lift your lower back off the bench at all. Just twist your back in the thoracic region. Although I don't see anything wrong with using extraneous muscles in this exercise. 6. If you still find it difficult to do this exercise, then cross your arms over your chest. Or grab the edges of the bench with your hands. It's easier that way.Crunches are exercises that help pump up your abs. There are many ways to do them and one of them is on an incline bench. In addition to the fact that crunches on a Roman bench will help pump up your abs, they also strengthen your back muscles, so you can avoid spinal injuries. To achieve this result, you need to know the technique of performing the exercises.
Rules for performing crunches on an incline bench
If you perform crunches on an incline bench, then you need to adhere to the following rules:
- The bench should be inclined in relation to the floor by 40 degrees.
- When lifting your body, you need to bend your back.
If you don’t do this, then your back muscles will be pumped, not your abs. In addition, a straight back will create a load on the intervertebral discs, which can negatively affect the condition of the spine.
- When returning to the starting position, you can completely lower yourself onto the bench or not lie down on it completely. In the first case, you will be able to perform more repetitions, since you will be resting, and in the second case, the abs will receive more load, because. the muscles will not relax.
- If it is very difficult for you to perform this exercise, then at first hold on to the bench with your hands. Once the technique of performing it has been mastered, you can cross your arms over your chest and later move them behind your head.
- Raising your shoulders should be done while inhaling, and returning to the starting position should be while exhaling. Correct breathing guarantees positive effect from the exercise, since the abdominal muscles will be maximally tense.
- Perform the exercise 10-15 times in 3 sets. Be sure to take a break between sets, getting off the bench. The break should not exceed 1 minute. Over time, the number of repetitions should be increased to 25 times.
Technique for performing crunches on an incline bench
Incline crunches can be done in different ways. Each of them will be discussed in detail below.
Straight crunches.
Straight crunches while lying on a bench should be done like this:
- Sit on the machine, move your feet behind the soft rollers, fixing them securely.
- Lie down completely on the bench. Place your hands behind your head. As already mentioned, at first you can hold on to the edge of the bench.
- As you inhale, pull your shoulders as close to your legs as possible. The press should be as tense as possible.
- Lower yourself onto the bench slowly, no need to fall over. Try not to relax your press at the lowest point.
- Perform the prescribed number of repetitions.
Oblique twists.
Twisting while lying on a bench can also be done not straight, but obliquely.
The execution technique in this case will be as follows:
- Sit on the machine, place your feet behind the soft bolsters and securely fix them so as not to lose your balance during the exercise.
- Lie down completely on the bench. Bend your right arm at the elbow and move it behind your head. Left hand also bend and rest on her thigh, or rather, on its upper part.
- Inhale and lift your body diagonally so that your elbow right hand touched his knee. Keep your abs tense all the time.
- Exhale and come back.
- Complete the prescribed number of repetitions, then take a break and change the side of the incline.
Reverse crunches.
Crunches on an incline bench can also be performed in the opposite direction. This means that it is not the body that should be lifted, but the legs and pelvis.
The execution technique in this case will be as follows:
- Lower yourself onto the machine in the opposite direction. This means that the head should lie where the feet are.
- Use your hands to grasp the soft rollers. Hold them tight. This will help you maintain your balance on the incline bench.
- Keep your legs slightly bent at the knees.
- Inhale and lift your legs up. In this case, the pelvis must be lifted off the bench. Try to raise your legs until they touch your chest. At the same time, the press must be kept tense.
- Exhale and come back.
Abdominal crunches must be performed regularly in order for them to give a positive result. These exercises alone are enough for the treasured abs to appear on your stomach.
Incline crunches are one of the best exercises to work out the abdominal muscles, provided correct technique execution. Read the entire exercise technique in the article.
Target muscles – upper press belly.
The exercise allows you to work not only the upper abs, but also involves the entire rectus abdominis muscle, oblique muscles, lumbar muscles, and the front surface of the thigh.
Possible variations of crunches on an incline bench:
Do you want detailed video all exercise options? Write on YouTube in the comments to the video “I want all the options.”
Incline crunches: video
There are various variations of incline crunches. Can be performed with body rotations, including more oblique abdominal muscles. Can be done with holding and lifting additional weight.
How to do the exercise correctly? Execution technique
- Sit on a bench. Secure your legs tightly under the special bolsters of the bench. Keep the body vertical. Palms of hands near temples. This will be the starting position.
- Lower your body down until it is parallel to the floor. Inhale as you go down.
- From the bottom position, start doing body twists, lifting your body up to the highest possible position. Try to twist the shoulder girdle in an arc towards the pelvis, while simultaneously lifting. At the end of the movement, exhale completely.
- Repeat the movement 15 times for 3 sets.
Application of the exercise
For whom. Girls and men of any level of training.
When. Incline crunches should be done at the beginning or end of your workout. After crunches, you can do another exercise - hanging knee raises.
How many. The exercise should be done in 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions. It is recommended to rest for about 60 seconds between sets of abdominal muscles.
Possible options for performing crunches on an incline bench
Crunches with twists help to work the obliques more. It is performed, in contrast to straight twists, with body rotations. You can do it alternately or alternately.
At the top of the range of motion of the exercise, try to reach your left elbow towards your right knee as you turn into right side. And vice versa, with the right elbow to the left knee when twisting to the left.
If the load own weight is not enough, you can complicate the exercise. Take a barbell plate and hold it behind your head and in front of you. Choose the position of the pancake as convenient for you. If the pancake is behind your head, the load is greater, if it is in front of you, the load is correspondingly less.
This variation of twisting helps to complicate the usual movements. Also includes the shoulder muscles. You can do it simply by raising your arms. And you can hold additional weight.
With this method of performing the exercise, the abdominal muscles are included in the work more under static load, and practically no reduction occurs. The front of the thigh takes a significant percentage of the load.
Advice! To diversify your training program, you can try alternating the option with lifts. But the main version of crunches on an incline bench will be more effective for abs.
Shortened range of motion, suitable for peak activation of the four upper abs.
Performed while lying on a bench. Twisting occurs only due to thoracic. Keep your neck straight, look ahead.
If you need a detailed video of all exercise options? Write to YouTube in the comments to the video posted at the beginning of the article.
- When your arms are held in front of you, the load is lighter. When your hands are behind your head it is more difficult.
- Concentrate on crunches rather than lifts. To master crunches faster, touch your upper abs with your fingers. Check their correct operation while twisting. The muscles must contract.
- Make movements in an arc. Imagine that shoulder girdle it is necessary to bring it as close as possible to the pelvis.
- Perform movements smoothly, lifting 2 times faster than lowering.
- Breathe correctly. Very important! Breathing plays almost a key role in any twisting. Lower yourself down only after exhaling completely in the upper body position.
Basic mistakes
- Full lowering of the body. Go no lower than your body is parallel to the floor. Full lowering can injure the back in the lumbar region.
- Perform crunches, not lifts. Many people do sit-ups and don’t feel the abdominal muscles working. Do crunches by flexing your spine. When the back is straight, the abdominal muscles work only in static tension.
- Jerks and holding your breath. Make smooth, clear movements and breathe correctly.
