Abs · Resistance bands

Band Kneeling Crunch

The band kneeling crunch is an isolation exercise for the rectus abdominis that uses elastic resistance to maintain constant tension through the entire range of motion. It is well-suited for home or travel routines and works best toward the end of a core or full-body workout.

Muscles: Abs
Equipment: Resistance bands
Type: Strength
Animation: Men and women

How to do it

Anchor the band at a high point, such as the top of a door, and take a handle in each hand.
Kneel down facing away from the anchor and hold the handles at the sides of your head, elbows bent.
Move forward slightly until the band is taut and inhale.
As you exhale, crunch your torso down toward the floor, pulling your ribs toward your hips and keeping your hands by your head.
Squeeze your abs at the bottom for a moment.
Inhale and slowly return to the upright kneeling position.

Common mistakes

Hinging at the hips instead of flexing the spine shifts tension away from the abdominals to the hip flexors.
Pulling the band down with the arms and shoulders turns the movement into an upper-body pull instead of an ab crunch.
Rushing the return to the starting position eliminates the eccentric tension provided by the resistance band.

Tips

Keep your hips fixed directly over your knees and focus solely on bringing your ribcage down toward your pelvis.
Keep your hands locked against the sides of your head throughout the rep so your arms cannot assist.
Exhale forcefully and hold a one-second contraction at the bottom of the movement.

Sets and reps

Aim for 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 slow, controlled repetitions with 45 to 60 seconds of rest between sets.

Muscles worked

Your coach guides every set

Turn on the coach in Gloox: it asks how you feel, picks the weight from your history and cues technique and rest. Rate each set and the next one is tuned to you.

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On a computer? Point your phone's camera here to get the app.

Questions

Is the band kneeling crunch safe for the lower back?

When performed with controlled spinal flexion and locked hips, it places minimal stress on the lower back; stop immediately and see a specialist if you experience pain.

How can you increase the difficulty without buying a heavier band?

Kneel slightly farther away from the anchor point to increase starting tension, or slow down the eccentric return phase to 3–4 seconds per rep.

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