# Decline Reverse Crunch

A reverse crunch lying on a decline bench with your head at the high end, holding the bench beside your head. The slope puts your hips below your head, so the abs work over a longer, harder range than the floor version.

- Intermediate · Isolation
- Equipment: Decline Bench
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/decline-bent-leg-reverse-crunch/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/decline-reverse-crunch/

## Muscles worked

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

## How to do the Decline Reverse Crunch

1. Lie on the decline bench, head high, hands gripping the bench.
2. Lift your feet, keeping knees bent at about 90 degrees.
3. Curl your pelvis up, drawing your knees toward your chest.
4. Slowly lower your hips back down to the bench.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Lie on your back on a decline bench with your head at the high end.
2. Reach your arms back and grip the sides of the bench beside your head.
3. Lift your feet off the bench with knees bent to roughly 90 degrees.
4. Tighten your stomach and keep your ribs pulled down.
5. Curl your pelvis off the bench by drawing your knees toward your chest.
6. Lower your hips back down slowly until your pelvis returns to the bench.
7. Keep your knees bent and your upper body still throughout the set.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging knees for momentum
- Kicking legs overhead
- Dropping into the next rep
- Pulling with the arms
- Only moving at the hips

## Form cues

- Curl pelvis, not legs
- Keep shins quiet
- Exhale on the curl
- Keep ribs down

## 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, pause 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 15–25 reps · rest 45 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 1 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: [Reverse Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/reverse-crunch/) — 25% of bodyweight
- Easier: [Ab Wheel Pass Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-crunch/) — 30% of bodyweight
- **This exercise: Decline Reverse Crunch — 35% 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 Decline Reverse Crunch work?

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

### When should I do the Decline Reverse Crunch in a workout?

Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 6 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Decline Reverse 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 15–25 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Decline Reverse 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 Decline Reverse Crunch?

Ab Wheel Pass Crunch (30% of bodyweight), Reverse Crunch (25% of bodyweight).

### What is a harder version of the Decline Reverse Crunch?

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

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

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/