Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Machine Abdominal Crunch
The machine abdominal crunch trains your abs by curling your ribs toward your pelvis against resistance while seated in a guided machine.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 1 min
How to do it
- Adjust the seat so the chest or shoulder pads fit comfortably against your upper torso.
- Set the starting position with your torso upright or slightly reclined.
- Sit with your feet on the designated supports.
- Take hold of the handles.
- Curl your upper torso toward your pelvis through a comfortable range.
- Slowly return to the starting position to finish the rep.
Form cues
- Exhale as you crunch.
- Keep your neck relaxed.
- Keep your hips planted.
Common mistakes
- Pulling with your armsKeep your grip light so your abs, rather than your arms, move the resistance.
- Hinging forward with a straight backLet your spine round gently instead of tipping your entire torso forward from your hips.
- Slamming the weight stackEase off near the end of the return so the plates touch quietly.
Safety
Excessive resistance or forcing the starting position too far backward can strain your lower back. Fatigue can make you jerk against the pads instead of controlling the load.
- Start with a light load that lets you complete each rep without momentum.
- Limit the backward range so the machine does not force your lower back into an arch.
- End the set when you can no longer control the movement.
If rounding your back causes pain or you have an existing spinal condition, ask a physiotherapist or doctor whether loaded crunches are appropriate.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Equipment
- Abdominal Crunch Machine
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 1 min
Increase the weight by the smallest available increment once all sets feel controlled at the top of the rep range.