Crunch
Trains the abdominals. No equipment needed. One of our free programs uses it, across 12 sessions.
Free to use. The app counts your sets, times your rest and remembers every rep.
In the programs
How our programs run the Crunch
These numbers are counted from the programs themselves, not averaged off the internet.
1of our 50 programs use it
1×15–30the shape they run most (12 sessions)
1:00typical rest between sets
| Program | Session | Sets × Reps | Progression |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Curves (Beginner) | Workout B — Phase 1, Workout B — Phase 2 +1 | 1×15–30 | Fixed weights |
See it in action
Watch the Crunch progress week by week
A full run of a program built around it, session by session, in the real app.
Muscles worked
What Crunch trains
Technique
How to do the Crunch
- Begin by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
- Engage your core and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, curling your upper body towards your knees.
- Lower your shoulder blades back to the floor with control, maintaining your core engagement. Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions.
Form cues
Getting it right
- Avoid pulling on your neck with your hands; focus on using your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulders.
- Perform the movement with control to maximize muscle activation and prevent injury.
- Breathe steadily throughout the exercise, exhaling as you lift your shoulders and inhaling as you lower them.
- Ensure your lower back remains pressed into the floor to avoid unnecessary strain.
Substitutes
Swap Crunch for
The app's swap picker ranks these the same way: same muscles, similar movement, similar equipment.
Let the app run the Crunch for you
Durata times your rest and puts last session's reps in front of you, so you always know the number to beat. That works on any of our 50 free programs, or on a session you put together yourself.