Band Kneeling Crunch

absResistance Band

The kneeling resistance band crunch isolates your rectus abdominis through spinal flexion while keeping axial load on your spine to a minimum.

How to do it

1Anchor a band up high, kneel facing forward, and hold the ends near the sides of your head.

2Lock your hips and thighs in place so they remain completely stationary throughout the set.

3Curl your upper spine downward, driving your elbows toward your thighs using your abs.

4Pause at the bottom for a second, squeezing your abs as hard as you can.

5Slowly reverse the movement back to the top, maintaining full control without relaxing completely.

Common mistakes

Moving at your hips — turns the crunch into a squat and takes work off your abs.

Pulling with your arms instead of flexing your torso — overloads your shoulders and neck.

Snapping back up quickly — loses the negative resistance phase.

Breathing

Exhale as you crunch down, and inhale as you return smoothly to the start position.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, switch to a band with lighter resistance.

To make it harder, use a heavier band or pause longer at peak contraction.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.