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Lever Seated Leg Raise Crunch
A machine crunch that combines a seated trunk crunch with a simultaneous knee raise, contracting the abs from both ends under load.
AbsMachineLoaded trunk flexion with hip flexion
GoLightWeight medialever-seated-leg-raise-crunch
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Rectus abdominis
Secondary
Hip flexorsObliquesTransverse abdominis
Equipment
Machine
Pattern
Loaded trunk flexion with hip flexion
Setup
- 01Adjust the seat and pads so the trunk pivot sits near your navel and the leg pad rests on your lower shins.
- 02Sit back against the pad and grip the handles.
- 03Select a load that allows a full crunch and knee lift together.
- 04Brace and set your breathing before the first rep.
Execution
- 01Exhale and crunch the torso down while lifting the knees toward the chest at the same time.
- 02Meet in the middle so the ribs and pelvis pull toward each other.
- 03Pause at the point of maximum contraction.
- 04Reverse both motions together, lowering legs and unfolding the trunk under control.
Checkpoints
- -Trunk crunch and leg raise start and finish together.
- -The pelvis tilts back as the knees rise.
- -Weight stack stays quiet between reps.
- -Grip on the handles stays light, not a pulling grip.
Common mistakes
- -Leading with the legs and skipping the trunk crunch.
- -Kicking the leg pad with momentum.
- -Loading so heavy the range collapses to a few degrees.
- -Letting the lower back overextend as the legs drop.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 15 smooth reps.
- -This dual-action pattern fatigues quickly, so keep it early in your ab work.
- -Reduce the load and slow the eccentric if the two motions fall out of sync.
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