- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Reps8 to 25 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Sit on a decline bench with your feet hooked under the pads and your arms across your chest.
First cueCurl rather than jerk.
How to do the Decline Sit-Up
Set up. Sit on a decline bench with your feet hooked under the pads and your arms across your chest.
- Lower your torso back under control.
- Curl back up toward your thighs.
- Return slowly.
Form cues
- Curl rather than jerk.
- Keep the arms crossed.
- Control the lowering.
Common mistakes
- Jerking up with momentum.
- Dropping back quickly.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Obliques.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Decline Sit-Up, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Russian Twist Often left out: it trains the obliques, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Decline Sit-Up first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Decline Sit-Up 3 × 8 to 25 reps
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Russian Twist 3 × 12 to 30 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Machine Crunch
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Crunch.
Other variations of the Crunch: McGill Curl-Up.
Do before it: McGill Curl-Up (bracing) and Dead Bug (bracing).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Decline Sit-Up is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Decline Sit-Up?
Set up: Sit on a decline bench with your feet hooked under the pads and your arms across your chest. Steps: 1. Lower your torso back under control. 2. Curl back up toward your thighs. 3. Return slowly. Form cues: Curl rather than jerk. Keep the arms crossed. Control the lowering. Common mistakes: Jerking up with momentum. Dropping back quickly.
What muscles does the Decline Sit-Up work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the obliques on the way.
What can I do instead of the Decline Sit-Up?
In a gym: Machine Crunch. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Decline Sit-Up with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Russian Twist.