The decline situp is an abdominal exercise performed on a decline bench, targeting the abs with added resistance from gravity. It also engages the hip flexors and lower back as secondary muscles.
Also Works
Hip FlexorsLower Back
How to Perform
1
Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent.
2
Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
3
Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the bench, curling forward towards your knees.
4
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Secure your feet at the top of the decline bench and cross your arms over your chest or place hands behind your head. The full sit-up involves both spinal flexion and hip flexion.
•Control the lowering phase for 3-4 seconds to maximize the eccentric ab work that the decline angle provides.
•To make it harder, hold a weight plate against your chest or extend your arms overhead during the sit-up.
Common Mistakes
•Using momentum to swing up rather than contracting the abs to curl the spine off the bench.
•Anchoring the feet too tightly and pulling with the hip flexors, which reduces ab engagement.
•Setting the bench too steep too soon, which can cause blood pooling in the head and excessive hip flexor involvement.