Negative Crunch

Setup

1. 01Sit on a mat with knees bent about 90 degrees and feet flat.
2. 02Anchor your feet under a bar or heavy object if needed.
3. 03Cross your arms over your chest or extend them forward.
4. 04Start seated upright at the top of the crunch position.

Execution

1. 01Exhale, tuck the chin slightly, and round the spine.
2. 02Lower your torso toward the floor one vertebra at a time over 3 to 5 seconds.
3. 03Stop just before the shoulder blades touch the mat.
4. 04Use your hands or a rocking assist to return to the seated start, then repeat.

Checkpoints

• -The descent takes at least 3 full seconds.
• -The spine stays rounded so the abs control the lowering.
• -The lower back touches the mat before the upper back.
• -No collapsing or free-fall in the last third of the range.

Common mistakes

• -Falling backward with a flat, rigid spine.
• -Speeding up at the hardest mid-range portion.
• -Turning the return into a full sit-up instead of resting the abs.
• -Holding the breath through the descent.