# Lying Resistance Band Crunch

A floor crunch against a band anchored low behind your head, holding the handles beside your head. Trains the abs by curling your head and shoulders off the floor against the band.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: Resistance bands
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/lying-abs-resistance-band/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-crunch/

## Muscles worked

- Abs: 9/10
- Obliques: 5/10

## How to do the Lying Resistance Band Crunch

1. Lie on your back, knees bent, head toward the low band anchor.
2. Hold the handles beside your head, elbows pointing toward your knees.
3. Lift your head and shoulders a little off the floor, focusing on your abs.
4. Slowly lower back down until your upper back touches the floor again.

### Full technique — 8 steps

1. Anchor the band near floor level and sit facing away from it.
2. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
3. Hold a handle in each hand beside your head with elbows pointing toward your knees.
4. Move away from the anchor until the band is taut at the start.
5. Curl your head, shoulders, and upper back off the floor by shortening your abs.
6. Lift until your shoulder blades clear the floor without turning it into a sit-up.
7. Keep your hands fixed beside your head without pulling with your arms.
8. Lower your upper back down until your shoulder blades return to the floor.

## Common mistakes

- Pulling the handles with arms
- Pulling the head forward
- Turning reps into sit-ups
- Using momentum to start reps
- Dropping into the next rep

## Form cues

- Hands stay by head
- Curl ribs toward pelvis
- Lift shoulder blades only
- Exhale into the crunch
- Neck stays relaxed

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 15 s · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (good fit): 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 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 1 s, pause 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.

- **No equipment**: [Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-straight-arm-crunch/), [Alternating Tuck-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/alternating-tuck-up/)
- **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/)
- **Medicine ball**: [Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-toe-touch-crunch/), [Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/medicine-ball-straight-arm-crunch/)
- **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: [Seated Ab Machine](https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-ab-machine/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Lying Resistance Band Crunch — Beginner**
- Harder: [Ab Wheel Half Rollout](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-half-rollout/) — 40% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Resistance Band Decline Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-decline-sit-up/) — Intermediate

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Lying Resistance Band Crunch work?

Primary: Abs 9/10. Also works: Obliques 5/10.

### When should I do the Lying Resistance Band Crunch in a workout?

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

### How many sets and reps of the Lying Resistance Band Crunch?

Strength: 3 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 15 s, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2 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 Lying Resistance Band Crunch?

No equipment: Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch, Alternating Tuck-Up. Dumbbells: Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up, Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch. Medicine ball: Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch, Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Hanging Knee Raise, Suspension Trainer Hanging Leg Raise.

### What is an easier version of the Lying Resistance Band Crunch?

Seated Ab Machine (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Lying Resistance Band Crunch?

Ab Wheel Half Rollout (40% of bodyweight), Resistance Band Decline Sit-Up (Intermediate).

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

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