Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeStrength
- Equipment RequiredBodyweight
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypePull
- Experience LevelBeginner
- Secondary Muscles
Hip Flexors
Target Muscle Group
Abs
Decline Bench Sit Up Overview
The Decline Bench Sit Up is an effective core-strengthening exercise that targets the rectus abdominis (the main abdominal muscle) and works the hip flexors as secondary muscles.
By performing this exercise on a decline bench, the angle increases the intensity of the movement, making it more challenging than a traditional floor sit up.
The decline position requires greater activation of the abdominal muscles to lift the torso against gravity, helping to build strength and endurance in the core.
Decline Bench Sit Up Instructions
- Position yourself on a decline bench, securing your feet under the foot pads.
- Lie back on the bench and position your arms over your chest or place them behind your head for support.
- Exhale and squeeze your abs as you curl your upper body off the bench, bringing your chest toward your knees.
- Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your upper body back to the starting position. This is one rep.
- Perform the desired number of reps, maintaining proper form and control.
Decline Bench Sit Up Tips
- Exhale as you lift your torso and inhale as you lower yourself back down.
- If you want to engage the obliques, add a twisting motion to help improve posture, stability, and overall core function.
- Perform the sit up slowly and with control, both while rising and lowering, to maximize muscle engagement and avoid using momentum.
- Keep a neutral spine position throughout the movement; don’t let your back arch too much as you lower yourself.
17 Comments
Keep in mind that this exercise requires good core strength to perform properly without increasing the risk of injury to the back. Also, the primary muscles activated by this exercise are the hip flexors, or iliopsoas, so taking care to also stretch those muscles well will also help to protect the low back.
The tip contradicts the video. The tips states that your back should never touch the bench but this guy is demonstrating the exact opposite.
Hi. I am doing alot of exercise at home nd this exercise looks great to burn lower belly fat. I do not have a decline bench so any other type of sit up or exercise could i do to target lower abdomin?
Pat,
Spot reduction is a myth. Doing crunches won't reduce lower belly fat, a caloric deficit will.
You can lay flat on the floor an maybe put a small cushion or pillow under you're lower back an do leg lifts bike cycle kicks flutter kicks modified v-sits are great for you're lower mid and upper abs
Hello. I am a female who has a very hard time losing in my stomach area, I have been working on my abs for over 4 months, I can see the muscle when I suck in my stomach so i know there is some progress but it is not what I am lookin for. I have went from a flabby fat stomach to a hard fat stomach. My stomach seems to be getting hard almost like a pregnant woman, and I know for a fact that I am not pregnant. What can I do? Please help.
Hey Gina, I'm a personal fitness trainer and I want to let you know that to get rid of your unwanted fat it is easiest to get rid of by walking or a mild jog. If you can walk/jog for 30-60 minutes a day and develop a hard sweat you will see progressive results it wont be immediate but in 1-3 months you will see results. The reason why you are seeing and feeling abs because those are the exercises you are doing, while your target area is your abdomin the exercises aren't targeted to burn fat. Does this help?
Hello Gina,
I have been working out for almost 50 years, 3-4 times per week. I was always told a flat stomach begins at the dinner table. It's impossible to turn fat into muscle, so to lose the fat adjust your diet a bit and keep doing the stomach work.
These are really hard. If you're overweight or just starting out try for 4 x 10 with a short break between sets.
To figure out how far back to lean start by leaning backwards until you can feel your ab muscles strain to hold you up. Go slightly past this point until you feel them stress out. This is as far down as you need to go.
Work your way up to 2 x 20 reps with a 30 sec rest in between.
Increase the intensity by going back further and then holding for one sec on the way down on every 2nd rep.
Thumbs up, But if you are able to get 4 sets of 10 in you are good enough to try adding a little weight and lowering your reps in an effort to try and actually strengthen your core, which will in turn increase the amount of copyrighted reps you will be able to do in the long run. Also the larger your muscles get the more calories you burn thus giving you those visible abs much quicker. And! If your one of those who say "I don't want to get big, just toned", ask around and see how many bigger folks just accidentally got big. LOL
Good luck everyone.
his back is touching the bench, different from what the tip says. :)
Send good advice
Send good advise
I will try after i told u and my all frnd.
Yes and no
i am begneer for exercise plz advise me good tips
My gym doesn't have the decline bench. How else could i do this exercise?
Your gym should have a decline bench press, take off the bar and you should be able to get on and work your abs. Good luck!
nice