# Ab Wheel Pass Crunch

A lying crunch with the legs held up and bent, passing the ab wheel to your shins on one rep and taking it back on the next. Trains the abs, with the wheel adding a small load at the end of long arms.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Ab wheel
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-take-it-or-leave-it/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-crunch/

## Muscles worked

- Abs: 9/10
- Obliques: 4/10

## How to do the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch

1. Lie on your back, the wheel held above your chest.
2. Lift your feet, keeping knees bent, shins parallel to the floor.
3. Lift your torso and rest the wheel on your shins, then lower.
4. Lift again, take the wheel back and lower slowly with it.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Lie on your back holding the ab wheel by both handles with arms straight above your chest.
2. Raise your legs with knees bent to about 90 degrees and feet off the floor.
3. Press your lower back into the floor and keep your ribs pulled down.
4. Exhale and lift your torso off the floor, reaching the wheel forward to your shins.
5. Rest the wheel on your shins, then lower your torso with your arms straight above your chest.
6. Keep your legs still so the wheel stays on your shins.
7. On the next rep, lift your torso again, take the wheel back and lower with it under control.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging arms for momentum
- Dropping heels between reps
- Dropping into the next rep
- Jutting chin forward

## Form cues

- Lift with abs first
- Arms stay long
- Keep shins quiet
- Curl, don't yank up

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 20–25 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Medicine ball**: [Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-straight-arm-crunch/), [Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-toe-touch-crunch/)
- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-decline-sit-up/), [Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-straight-arm-crunch/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Lying Resistance Band Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-crunch/), [Lying Resistance Band Knee Tuck](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-knee-tuck/)
- **Suspension trainer**: [Suspension Trainer Hanging Knee Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-hanging-knee-raise/), [Suspension Trainer Hanging Leg Raise](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-hanging-leg-raise/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-straight-arm-crunch/) — 15% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Reverse Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/reverse-crunch/) — 25% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Ab Wheel Pass Crunch — 30% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Ab Wheel Half Rollout](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-half-rollout/) — 40% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Ab Wheel Knee Tuck](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-knee-tuck/) — 60% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch work?

Primary: Abs 9/10. Also works: Obliques 4/10.

### When should I do the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 5 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch?

Strength: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–25 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch?

Medicine ball: Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch, Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch. Dumbbells: Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up, Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch. Resistance bands: Lying Resistance Band Crunch, Lying Resistance Band Knee Tuck. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Hanging Knee Raise, Suspension Trainer Hanging Leg Raise.

### What is an easier version of the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch?

Reverse Crunch (25% of bodyweight), Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch (15% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Ab Wheel Pass Crunch?

Ab Wheel Half Rollout (40% of bodyweight), Ab Wheel Knee Tuck (60% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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