Seated Crunch (Chest Pad)

Setup

1. 01Adjust the seat height so the chest pad sits against your upper chest.
2. 02Hook your feet under the foot pads and select a moderate load.
3. 03Cross your arms lightly over the pad or hold its sides.
4. 04Sit tall and brace before the first rep.

Execution

1. 01Exhale and drive the chest pad down by crunching the ribs toward the pelvis.
2. 02Let the spine round segment by segment rather than folding at the hips.
3. 03Pause at full flexion with the abs fully shortened.
4. 04Return slowly until the torso is nearly upright, keeping tension on the stack.

Checkpoints

• -The pad moves because the trunk flexes, not because the arms push.
• -Hips stay planted on the seat throughout.
• -The lowering phase takes at least 2 seconds.
• -Chest pad stays in contact with the chest the whole rep.

Common mistakes

• -Pushing the pad with the arms or shoulders.
• -Hinging forward with a flat back instead of crunching.
• -Lifting the hips off the seat to move more weight.
• -Rushing the return and letting the stack slam.