If you are an exercise junkie then you would know that if you wanna build muscles and abs then doing different types of crunches are a must.
These crunches are quite easy to do and for most of them you won’t have to go to the gym as well. You can easily do them at home.
Now it is possible that if you are doing crunches for the first time, then you might not know all the different types of crunches that you can out. So here is a list of the types of crunches that you can actually get into.
15 Best Types Of Crunches
Here are a few different types of crunches that you can get behind to as a great form of exercise. So if you wanna scan through them here they are.
1. Bicycle Crunch
“This bodyweight crunch is a combination exercise that trains both the standard crunch and the obliques by adding a twisting movement. This is a more advanced crunch exercise, so be sure you are able to do regular crunches and reverse crunches properly before attempting this.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Bicycle crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- “Lie on the ground with your lower back flat against the floor.”
- “Place your hands either behind your head or across your chest.”
- “With the legs straight out in front of you, either keep your feet on the floor or keep them up off the ground a few inches.”
- “Perform a crunch, lifting your torso up off the ground but still keep your lower back flat on the floor.”
- “When you are almost at the top of the crunch, rotate your torso so that your left elbow touches your right knee.”
- “Lower yourself down, and extend both legs out front again, and then repeat reps, making sure to alternate every rep (right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right knee).”
Pro Tip: “Think about lifting your torso up first, and then add a rotation at the top. Keeping this movement slow and controlled will help you feel the muscles working better.” |
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2. Ab Machine Crunch
“The ab machine crunch is a machine exercise that allows you to train the abs with heavier loads. These are great for adding resistance to your ab training above and beyond just your own body weight.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Ab Machine crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- “Start by adjusting the seat and handles of the machine to fit your body size. Every machine is slightly different, so be sure to read the instructions on your specific ab machine crunch piece.”
- “Once you have figured out your set up, add some weight and focus on using the abs to crunch your upper torso downwards.”
- “Make sure you are not using your upper body to pull down in the handles.”
- “Pause at the bottom of the crunch and flex your abs, then slowly raise your torso upwards keeping tension on the muscle.”
Pro Tip: “Try to relax your arms as best as you can so that you are not able to pull the handles down with the upper body only.” |
3. Cable Crunch
“The cable crunch is a weighted cable exercise that is great for adding strength and muscle mass to your abs. Often, people will train the abdominals with light loads and high reps, making this exercise a great one to add more direct loading to the abs.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Cable crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Set a cable to the highest point, and attach a rope to the end.
- While kneeling, grab the handles and make sure you are about 2 feet from the base of the cables.
- With your hands by your ears (grabbing the rope), perform a crunch so that your chin goes to the floor.
- Pause at the bottom, and then reverse the movement, keeping tension on the abs throughout the entire range of motion.
Pro Tip: “Think about relaxing the upper body as much as possible so that you can isolate the abs as best as you can.” |
4. Exercise Ball Crunch
“Performing a crunch on an exercise ball (physio/stability ball) can be a good way to help people who may find discomfort performing crunches on the floor. Exercise ball crunches are also a good way to add some instability to increase the difficulty of the movement.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Exercise Ball crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- “Lay on the exercise ball keeping your lower back supported on the ball. If your torso is off the ball the harder it will become for you.”
- “Now lie on your back, and make sure to keep the stability and control the movement of your body.”
- “Don’t let your lower back arch towards the bottom of the movement you are doing.”
- “Now do a crunch, and make sure to keep the lower back on the exercise ball, and then repeat it all.”
Pro Tip: “Having your feet wider will help you maintain control during this movement. Focus on finding stability first, and then you can start to add load,” |
5. Decline Crunch
“The decline crunch is a crunch performed on a decline bench. By performing this crunch, you increase the range of motion and can target more of the lower abdominals.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Decline crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Firsty lie on your back with feet placed on a decline bench.
- Then put your hands on your chest or you can put them behind your head. Now you need to lift your torso up till your lower back comes off the decline bench.
- Now you have to pause there for a moment, then slowly lower yourself, losing but holding the tension on the abs. And then repeat the same process.
Pro Tip: “When doing this, try not to swing your arms to help or jerk your head upwards. Instead, focus on feeling the lower abs helping you up.” |
6. Handle Band Crunch
“This is done similarly to the cable crunch, however a handle band is used instead of the cable stack. This is a great way to get similar benefits when you do not have access to a cable stack.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Handle Band crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Set up your handle band at a higher point.
- Now kneel down and grab the handles just below the anchor point.
- Start doing cable crunches while holding them.
Pro Tip: “If you only have one band thickness, you can grab higher up on the hands or wrap the band around your hands to create more tension and increase the difficulty.” |
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7. Oblique Crunch
“This small movement targets the obliques and is done by lying on your side and performing a crunch.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Oblique crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Firstly, you need to lie on one side.
- Now keep your hands behind your head and lift your torso so that your elbow reaches your top hip.
- Once you reach the top hip, pause there for a moment and then repeat the same with the other side.
Pro Tip: “Try doing these on an exercise ball or balance trainer, as this will help you increase the range of motion and get more out of the movement.” |
8. Standing Oblique Crunch
“This is the standing version of the oblique crunch and can be a great way to train the obliques with weights.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Standing oblique crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Stand up and keep your hands on your sides.
- Now, keeping the weight on your right arm, start putting weight on your right thigh. At the same time, stretch your left torso.
- Go as far as you can bend, then go back to your normal position.
- Then repeat this on the other side.
Pro Tip: “At the top of the movement, lean over to the opposite side to get a full muscle contraction before going into your next rep.” |
9. Balance Trainer Single Leg Crunch
“Balance trainer single-leg crunches are a good way to train one side at a time, which may be needed if you have trouble feeling one side of the abs more than the other.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Balance trainer single leg crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Properly lie down on a balance trainer as always when you do normal crunches.
- Now perform a crunch with one leg at a time.
- While one leg is up, the other leg has to pull into your chest at every crunch.
- Then repeat the same with the other leg.
Pro Tip: “If you find this challenge, try to first start by doing this exercise with only one leg on the ground, and omit the other leg being pulled into the body.” |
10. Balance Trainer Crunch
“The balance trainer crunch is like the exercise ball crunch in that it offers some instability to increase difficulty, but not to the same degree.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Balance trainer crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- You need to lie on your back on top of a balance trainer first.
- Keep your hands either on your chest or behind your head, and then lower your torso down towards the floor.
- When at the bottom movement, don’t arch your lower back.
- Now lift your torso up with your abs and then repeat the process.
Pro Tip: “By doing this on a balance trainer, you can often lie backward more thanyou would on the floor, therefore increasing the range of motion. Make sure you do this to stimulate more muscles.” |
11. Balance Trainer Cable Crunch With Side Bends
“This is where you perform a balance trainer crunch in combination with a lying weighted cable crunch. This is a good exercise to add loading and attack both the abs and obliques at the same time.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Balance trainer cable crunches with side bends then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Firstly, you need to lie down on your back on top of a balance trainer and keep your head 2-3 feet away from the cable stack.
- The cables are to be kept in a lower proposition that is too attached to a rope.
- Now lie down and grab the rope with both your hands, then, you need to do crunches with your torso while holding the rope.
- When you reach the top of the crunch, do a side bend while bending your right elbow to your right knee. Repeat the same thing on the other side as well.
Pro Tip: “If your head is getting hit by the cables, then you may need to raise the cable setting up an inch or two.” |
12. Balance Trainer Overhead Crunch
“The balance trainer overhead crunch is done just like the balance trainer crunch, with the only difference is your hands are overhead and may or may not be holding a weight.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Balance trainer overhead crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Arch your back on a balance trainer, like you would do when doing a regular balance trainer crunch.
- Now lie on your back and stretch your hands upwards. If you want, you can also hold a weight in your hands while doing this.
- Now perform a crunch, and make sure that the weight is exactly above your head.
- Lastly, lower to your resting position and repeat the same process.
Pro Tip: “Think about the weight overhead as a bowl of water DO NOT let the water spill.” |
13. Reverse Crunch
“The reverse crunch is a movement that works the lower abs and has you pull your legs into the body rather than lifting your torso upwards.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Reverse crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Firstly, lie on your back on the ground.
- Keep your legs straightened in front of you and lift them up a few inches off the ground.
- Now, pull your knees towards your chest while at the same time keeping your torso steady on the ground.
- Once near your chest, tuck your knees on your chest and keep your back straight at the same time, but make sure that your lower back is on the ground.
Pro Tip: “Focus on keeping your lower back pushing into the floor. A lot of people let their lower backs arch as they straighten their legs, which is incorrect.” |
14. Tuck Crunch
“A tuck crunch is a crunch in which you also perform a reverse crunch by pulling the knees into the chest simultaneously. The tuck crunch is also called a double crunch, and it works both the upper and lower abdominals.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Tuck crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- Lie down on the ground like you will do for regular crunching.
- Now, you need to keep your feet straight but lifted off the ground by a couple of inches.
- It’s time to do a crunch with your torso, and at the same time, pull your knees towards your chest.
- Once you pull your legs, pause in this position for a moment and then release the tension. Let your legs go and lower your torso back on the ground again. And then repeat again.
Pro Tip: “You should be able to do reserve crunches properly before attempting this movement.” |
15. Cocoon Crunch
“The cocoon crunch is like the tuck crunch, however, the hands start extended behind your head and the end “tuck” position is different. This exercise works similar muscle groups to the tuck crunch and is roughly the same difficulty.”
How To Do It:
If you wanna know how to do Cocoon crunches then here is a detailed step by step guide to it.
- First, lie down on your back and extend your legs and arms. Creating a stretch with your full body.
- Now lift up your torso at the same time, pull your knees up towards your chest.
- Keep your arms stretched upwards as if you are trying to touch your heels.
- Now pause for a moment in this position, then reverse the position, but maintain the tension buildup in your abs.
Pro Tip: “Resist the urge to swing your arm around to aid in the movement.” |
Wrapping Up!
If you are trying to be fit then doing different types of crunches are a great way of doing ab exercises. They really put the tension and pressure to your core muscles.
So if you are doing muscles training, then adding these types of crunches to your daily exercise routine is a must. Now if you think this article was helpful then giev it a like and comment down below.
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