It is very important to train regularly, because only in this case will you be able to achieve your goals. Among the features of performing crunches on an inclined bench, one can note the ability to pump all the abdominal muscles: straight, oblique and internal.

Also, when performing crunches on incline bench, the rectus femoris muscle and the iliopsoas muscle also take a fairly active part in the work. The task of the first of these muscles is to flex the leg at the knee, and the second is to flex the hip joint.

How to properly perform crunches on an incline bench?

In any exercise to obtain maximum effect technique must be strictly followed. This fully applies to twisting, which at first glance may seem like a very simple movement. Before starting the set, you should lower the bench relative to the ground at an angle of 40 degrees. After this, sit on it, securing your legs under a special cushion.

It is best to cross your arms and place them in the chest area or behind your head. After taking a strong breath, hold your breath and begin to first lift your head and shoulder joints. Only after this does the back come off. The body should rise only due to the force of the abdominal muscles.

After the body is in a perpendicular position relative to the surface of the bench, you should pause for a second and then begin moving in the opposite direction. To get maximum results from doing crunches on an incline bench, you should not completely relax your abdominal muscles and touch your head to the bench.

You should perform 10–25 repetitions in one set. It is best to perform the movement on a special day for training the abdominal muscles, after working on the upper section of this muscle group. Before this movement, you should perform reverse crunches or leg lifts. In turn, after twisting on an inclined bench, you should perform oblique twists.

Before you start working on the bench, you should make sure that the equipment is in good technical condition. It is very important that the structure is securely attached to the ground and does not swing. It is also necessary to secure your legs well behind the bolsters. To do this, you may have to reconfigure them to suit your growth. To eliminate the risk of back injury, you must remember the importance of warming up.

Mistakes when doing incline crunches

Of course, mistakes are mainly made by novice athletes, and most often this relates to the position of the hands during the movement. If you want to hold your hands behind your head, then they should be located in the ear area. If you clasp your fingers together and hold your farts behind your head, you may pull your neck muscles during the exercise.

It is important to ensure that your chest is straightened while working. If your back is rounded, your risk of back injury increases significantly. When the body moves up, many athletes help themselves with their legs. This cannot be done, because it significantly reduces the effectiveness of twisting. Remember, all movements should be performed only using the strength of the target muscles, in this case the abs. To make your work a little easier, try to direct your gaze forward.

Tips for athletes doing incline crunches

Do not tilt the bench at an excessively steep angle. For beginners, an inclination of 10 degrees will be enough. As your abs become stronger, you can begin to increase the incline of the bench. The maximum angle should not exceed 45 degrees. If the angle is large, this will lead to a strong flow of blood into the head area, which can negatively affect your condition.

If the movement has become too easy for you, then you can place your crossed arms behind your head, after which you perform classic twists. In this case, it is very important not to help lift the body with your hands, so as not to reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. You should also remember that the closer your hands are to your head, the more difficult it is to perform the movement. Watch your breathing as this will allow you to have a more intense session. Exhalation must be done only at the moment of reaching the highest position of the trajectory.

Other types of incline crunches

Oblique crunches

The technique for performing this movement does not differ significantly from the classic version. You only need to turn the body to the side when you reach the upper final position of the trajectory. But let's talk about this movement in a little more detail.

After you have assumed a lying position on an inclined bench, you need to place your bottom hand behind your head and rest the other on your thigh. When you have reached the final position of the trajectory, rotate your body in the direction opposite to the arm placed behind your head. If it is on the back of the head right hand, then you need to turn left and elbow joint hands touch your left knee. Perform the specified number of repetitions, after which you need to change the direction of rotation of the body.

Reverse crunches

When performing this type of crunch, you need to lift your legs, not your body. You need to take a lying position on an inclined bench, but in the opposite direction - grab the rollers for attaching your legs with your hands. With your legs slightly bent at the knee joints, begin to slowly lift them until your knees touch your chest.

It is necessary to pay sufficient attention to working out the muscles. We have already said above that well-toned abs will not only improve your appearance, but will also bring practical benefits. When working with free weights, almost all muscles of the body are involved in the movements, including the abs.

If your abdominal muscles are well developed, this will significantly reduce the load on your muscles. spinal column and thereby reduce the likelihood of injury. When working with a barbell, the abdominal muscles act as stabilizers.

When performing crunches on an incline bench, you do not need to use additional weights and your body weight will be enough. It is very important to master the technique of this movement well, since errors in its execution can lead to damage to the spinal column.

Although when performing crunches on an inclined bench, all the abdominal muscles are involved in the work, the majority of the load falls on the lower section of the group. Therefore, you should also do reverse crunches to get the most out of your abs. You should also remember the importance of warming up before starting the main sets.

Technique for performing crunches on an incline bench

Incline crunches are one of the most popular exercises for training the abdominal muscles. In particular, during movement, it is the rectus abdominis muscle that is maximally loaded.

The exercise is mainly formative, but the use extra weight and a special training regime in it allows you to work on the strength of the target muscles.

Initial position:

1. Sit on the edge of the bench, head down, with your shins behind the soft bolsters.
2. Cross your arms over your chest or place them at your temples.
3. Round your back while squeezing your abdominal muscles.
4. Inhale and lean back until your body is approximately horizontal, without straightening your back.

Movement:

1. Without a pause, with isolated force of the abdominal muscles, perform a twist, bringing your shoulders to the pelvis. In this case, the upper part of the body should be approximately parallel to the thigh.
2. At the highest point, exhale forcefully and further tighten your abdominal muscles. Maintain this tension for 2 seconds.
3. Proceed with the next repetition.

Attention!

Recommendations!

Execution options!

Video of Incline Crunches

Video 11 variations of crunches on an incline gymnastic bench

Analysis of the exercise

Anatomy of exercise - which muscles work

Advantages

Flaws

Preparing to Execute

Before performing the exercise, adjust the position of the bench - set the optimal angle of inclination of the support for yourself (within 20-50°). Be sure to make sure that the structure is sufficiently stable - the bench should not sway.

As a warm-up before abdominal training, it is enough to perform classical gymnastics with elements of stretching and bending.

Proper execution

Inclusion in the program

Performing crunches on a bench can be effectively combined with other exercises for the abdominal muscles, such as hanging or standing leg raises, as well as diagonal crunches. Combining these exercises allows you to evenly load different areas of the abdominal press.

It is recommended to perform abdominal crunches on a bench in a mode of 15-20 repetitions in 3-4 approaches. When using additional weights, the number of repetitions can be reduced to 6-10. Start using a load when traditional methods of intensifying the exercise no longer give the expected effect.

In addition to the abdominal muscles, the exercise involves the rectus femoris and iliopsoas muscles. The first is responsible for bending the leg in the area knee joint, and the second – flexes the hip joint.

This exercise is well suited for beginners and professionals, as it does not require a high level of preparedness and good coordination of movements. Using bench crunches, you can prepare your abdominal muscles for more difficult tasks.

Correct technique

As with any other exercise, it is important to consider technique when performing crunches in order to properly work the muscles. Otherwise, the desired effect may remain unattainable. When working with the press on a bench, you must:

1. The bench lowers 40 degrees relative to the floor surface, and then you can sit on it, resting your feet on the comfortable soft bolsters.
2. Arms are crossed and placed on the chest. It is important to lower yourself so that your back, shoulders and head are firmly in contact with the crunch bench.
3. Take a deep breath and hold your breath. It is very important to include the abdominal muscles as much as possible when starting to do crunches. First of all, the head and shoulders come off the bench, and after that the back.
4. Raising the torso should always occur only through the work of the abdominal press. As soon as a right angle is formed between the hips and the body, you need to linger for a second, and then slowly lower the body back, but only by half the amplitude.
5. It is not recommended to relax your abs during the exercise or touch the surface of the bench with your head until the end of the approach.
6. When starting the exercise, the athlete should direct his gaze to the ceiling, and then he should look just above his crossed arms.

Video of crunches on an incline bench with explanations:

Each set of crunches should consist of 10 to 25 repetitions, depending on the athlete’s level of training. Twisting is performed on the day of working on the abdominals, immediately after completing the exercise on the lower part. It is advisable to do reverse crunches or leg raises resting on your elbows before doing crunches on the bench.

Having finished crunches on the bench, you can begin crunches on the floor or oblique crunches, which will help to finally “hammer” the abdominal press.

Safety

Before performing the exercise, it is important to check the stability of the incline bench. Under no circumstances should it wobble while you do the exercise. Any swaying may cause the structure to fall.

It is important to get a good grip on the bench bolsters with your feet.. They must be comfortable so that the legs can support the weight of the athlete. If it is not possible to hold on to them, then it is better to adjust their location so as not to accidentally fall in the process.

To avoid injuries to the back and abdominal muscles, it is recommended to do preliminary warm-up. It will help warm up all the muscles, preparing them for work. If this is not done, the exercise will have less effect.

Common mistakes

The greatest number of mistakes are made by beginners. Most often they relate to incorrect hand position. Some athletes find it convenient to hold them near their head, while others prefer to cross their arms over their chest. If you still prefer to keep your hands near your head, then you should remember that your fingers should be next to your ears. There is no need to cross your arms behind your neck or head in a lock, otherwise you may strain your neck.

Doing crunches you need to keep the thoracic spine straightened. In this variation of the abdominal exercise, excessive roundness can lead to injury.

No need to help yourself with your feet, lifting the body upward. All movements are performed exclusively using the abdominal muscles, since this exercise is targeted at working them out.

It is also important to watch your gaze. It is advisable to always look ahead, as this will psychologically simplify the work on the exercise. If the athlete looks down, the body will begin to curl in on itself more, rather than rise up, as it should ideally do.

Equipment

To perform crunches, you will need an incline bench. It is available in any gym, so finding it should not be a problem. For additional weight, athletes use discs held with their hands on their chest. In some cases, you may need to have a friend wrap a resistance band around your stomach and pull it as you twist. This will put additional stress on the abdominal muscles.

1. It is not recommended to lower the incline bench too steeply if this is your first time doing this exercise. Beginners should start with an incline of just 10 degrees. After gaining the necessary experience, you can move on to more complex techniques.
2. There is no need to lower the bench below 45 degrees, as in this position the blood rushes strongly to the head, which is dangerous for athletes with weak blood vessels.
3. If the exercise is too easy, you can cross your arms behind your head and do regular crunches. In this case, you do not need to help yourself with your hands - it is enough to lightly touch the back of your head with your fingers. In this type of twist, the neck is always kept straight and the chin looks straight.
4. Beginners may have difficulty doing incline crunches. You can make this exercise easier by decreasing the tilt or stretching your arms along your body. The closer your hands are to your head, the greater the load on your abdominals.
5. It is important to hold your breath while doing the crunch as this will increase muscle strength and help you complete the exercise. Exhalation is done immediately after reaching the highest point of the amplitude.

Conclusion

Twisting on an incline bench is referred to as basic exercise aimed at working the abdominal muscles. It fits perfectly into a comprehensive workout for this part of the body, and can also be used as an individual exercise. It is important to comply correct technique– and a positive result will not be long in coming.

Abdominal crunches with legs on a bench are aimed at working the abdominal muscles. The rectus abdominis muscle is one whole muscle. But if it is conditionally divided into three parts (upper, middle and lower), then this exercise is aimed at the upper and partly the middle part. Bottom part the press is involved, but weakly. By combining this exercise with, you can achieve good relief.

This exercise can be done anywhere. IN gym, at home, or even on the street, since you can use anything as a foot rest, be it a bench, chair or sofa. There are no restrictions. Therefore, this exercise has gained such popularity. But despite its simplicity, many people still perform it with errors. Let's look at the technique of this exercise and the main mistakes.

Twisting for the abdominal muscles with legs on a bench, technique:

1. Place a mat on the side of the horizontal bench.
2. Lie down on it and put your feet up on the bench.
3. The hands are in the area of ​​the head, near the temples.
4. Inhale and twist.
5. When you reach the point of full tension of the rectus abdominis muscle, stop, and after a short pause, exhale and lower yourself down.
6. At the bottom, inhale and repeat the twist for the set number of repetitions.

Muscles involved in the exercise

Features of the exercise:

• Do not try to lift your entire body up, directing it towards your hips. Twisting must be done by partially lifting the body, lifting only the shoulder blades from the floor, as shown in the example. The lumbar region does not need to be lifted off the floor.
• In this exercise, your hands can be used as a weight or counterweight. By placing them in the lower abdomen, they make it easier to perform, acting as a counterweight. If they are placed in the temple area, then twisting will become much more difficult.
• To avoid neck pain, do not fold your arms behind your head. When twisting, you will instinctively help yourself with your hands, and this can damage your spine. Hands should be kept near the ears or near the temples.

Effective press workouts on the website “Your Press Trainer”

An excellent exercise for working the abdominal muscles, which is suitable for both girls and boys, is crunches on an incline bench. To perform it, not much strength and energy is spent, but the rectus abdominis muscle works well.

Read the presented article and you will learn all the intricacies of doing crunches, common mistakes and useful tips trainers.

About the execution technique

Crunches are often performed in the gym on an incline bench.

There are different options for performing this exercise, but first we will introduce you to the classic, technically correct option:

1. An incline bench is positioned at an angle of 20-30 degrees or higher. You can increase the angle of inclination as your physical fitness increases.
2. The athlete sits on the edge of the bench, fixing his shins under a special cushion.
3. If you are just starting to train, you can cross your arms in front of you or grab a bench, but it is better not to help yourself with your hands. For more experienced athletes, the option with your hands behind your head (grabbing the back of your head or holding a barbell in your hands) is suitable.
4. Starting position – lying on a bench, lumbar region pressed tightly to its surface.
5. As you exhale, tensing your abdominal muscles, we begin to lift top part the body moving towards the knees, while rounding the back. We fix ourselves in the greatest tension for several seconds and slowly, while inhaling, lower ourselves to the starting position.

Tips from trainers:

• in order to load the abs as much as possible, do not lower yourself completely onto the bench; your shoulder blades should not touch it;
• to complicate the exercise in the future, you can perform it with additional weight or increase the inclination of the bench;
• imagine that you need to touch your knees with your forehead - this will make it easier for you to control the correctness of your movements;
• if you rise with a straight back, the lumbar region will be involved.

When performing crunches on an inclined gymnastic bench, the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles work mainly. But we have already mentioned that with a straight back, the lumbar region will be greatly strained.

To start training, both men and women can perform 10-15 repetitions in 2-3 approaches. Crunches on lower press They are also suitable for starting a workout and can also be done at the end.

Possible variations

Possible options for replacing conventional twists:

• reverse crunches lying on the floor or on an incline bench;
• Roman chair twists;
• crunches on the simulator.

Reverse crunches on an incline bench are a very effective exercise, especially for the lower abdomen. This type of training is among the most effective exercises for the lower press.

The technique is as follows: lying on a bench or floor, we raise our legs so that a right angle is formed between the thigh and the floor, and the shins are horizontal. We tighten our abs and, in a tense state, pull our knees to our chest and raise our pelvis. We remain in the most tense state for a few seconds and, while inhaling, return to the starting position.

Another option this exercise are oblique crunches for the press. During this training, the serratus abdominal muscles and oblique abdominal muscles are tensed.

Starting position: lying on a bench, one hand on the back of the head, the other on the thigh. As you exhale, we begin to twist until the elbow of one hand touches the knee of the opposite leg. And while inhaling, we return to the starting position.

A video of the exercise is shown below.

About mistakes

What are the typical mistakes beginners make when doing crunches on a bench:

1. Clutching your hands behind your head can lead to some health problems: pinched nerves, injuries to the cervical vertebrae, curvature of the upper sections spine. So when you do an overhead grip, try not to push yourself up with your hands. Lift up using your abs.
2. Do not make sudden jerks, do not slouch, or lift your lower back off the surface of the floor or bench.
3. Improper breathing or holding it. A sufficient amount of oxygen additionally helps burn fat cells, saturates cells with oxygen, and normalizes blood pressure. As we exhale we do power load, while inhaling - relaxation.
4. We hope that we have fully answered your questions and provided valuable information about performing abdominal crunches on an incline bench.