# Seated Floor Crunch

A crunch done sitting on the floor with knees bent and hands behind your head, curling the torso forward from a slight lean back. Trains the abs, with the obliques assisting.

- Beginner · Isolation
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/seated-floor-crunches/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/seated-floor-crunch/

## Muscles worked

- Abs: 9/10
- Obliques: 5/10
- Lower back: 3/10

## How to do the Seated Floor Crunch

1. Sit with knees bent, heels on the floor, hands behind your head.
2. Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight and stomach tight.
3. Curl your torso forward, bringing your head toward your knees.
4. Slowly return to the leaned-back position, keeping your legs still.

### Full technique — 6 steps

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your heels on the floor in front of you.
2. Place your hands behind your head with elbows wide, without pulling on your neck.
3. Lean your torso back slightly, keeping your back straight and your stomach tight.
4. Exhale and curl your torso forward, bringing your ribs toward your pelvis.
5. Bring your chin slightly toward your chest as your upper back rounds toward your knees.
6. Return to the leaned-back position under control, keeping your legs still.

## Common mistakes

- Pulling the head with hands
- Swinging the torso with momentum
- Only moving at the hips
- Lifting the feet off the floor
- Dropping into the next rep

## Form cues

- Curl ribs toward pelvis
- Exhale on the curl
- Hands stay by head
- Curl, don't yank up
- Keep hips mostly still

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 3 sets of 10–15 reps · rest 1 min · 2 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth**: 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps · rest 1 min · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, pause 1 s, lift 1 s, pause 1 s
- **Endurance** (good fit): 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 40 s · 3–4 reps in reserve · lower 1 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.

- **Barbell**: [Barbell Overhead Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/barbell-overhead-sit-up/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Dead Bug](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-dead-bug/), [Lying Resistance Band Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/lying-resistance-band-crunch/)
- **Weight plates**: [Plate Overhead Sit-Up](https://seto.fit/exercises/plate-overhead-sit-up/)
- **Suspension trainer**: [Suspension Trainer Mountain Climbers](https://seto.fit/exercises/suspension-trainer-mountain-climbers/), [Supine Suspension Trainer Knee Tuck](https://seto.fit/exercises/supine-suspension-trainer-knee-tuck/)

## Where to start and where to go next

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

- **This exercise: Seated Floor Crunch — 15% of bodyweight**
- Harder: [Reverse Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/reverse-crunch/) — 25% of bodyweight
- Harder: [Ab Wheel Pass Crunch](https://seto.fit/exercises/ab-wheel-crunch/) — 30% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Seated Floor Crunch work?

Primary: Abs 9/10. Also works: Obliques 5/10, Lower back 3/10.

### When should I do the Seated Floor Crunch in a workout?

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

### How many sets and reps of the Seated Floor Crunch?

Strength: 3 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 12–20 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 40 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Seated Floor Crunch?

Barbell: Barbell Overhead Sit-Up. Resistance bands: Resistance Band Dead Bug, Lying Resistance Band Crunch. Weight plates: Plate Overhead Sit-Up. Suspension trainer: Suspension Trainer Mountain Climbers, Supine Suspension Trainer Knee Tuck.

### What is a harder version of the Seated Floor Crunch?

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

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

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