Ab Crunch Machine

Execution

1. Brace your feet or hips against the base before you start, so the resistance cannot pull you off the seat.
2. Exhale and curl your torso down by contracting your abs, drawing your ribcage toward your pelvis rather than pulling with your neck.
3. Curl until your abs are fully contracted within a range you control, and hold that point for a beat.
4. Inhale and extend back to the start slowly, without letting the weight stack drop and slam.
5. Keep your hips and feet still for the whole set; if you have to arch or push with your legs to move the weight, drop one weight increment.

Quick cues

• Pull your ribs toward your pelvis.
• Don't yank with your neck.
• Brace your feet before you curl.
• Release slowly, keep the abs under tension.

Common faults

• Fault: Yanking the neck and chin forward instead of contracting the abs

  Fix: Rest your arms or shoulders correctly on the pad, focus on pulling the ribs toward the pelvis, and lower the weight if you still need the neck to move it.

• Fault: Pushing with the legs or arching the hips to build momentum instead of using the abs

  Fix: Brace the feet or hips firmly against the base, slow the tempo down, and drop one weight increment until the form holds.

• Fault: Curling through only half the range before releasing

  Fix: Curl until the abs are fully contracted within a controlled range, pause a beat, then release.

• Fault: Letting the weight drop fast, with the stack banging loudly

  Fix: Inhale and extend over 2-3 seconds, letting the arms or shoulders meet the pad gently at the end of the rep.