How to do the Decline Sit-Up
- Lie back on the decline bench, securing your feet firmly in place.
- Cross your arms or lightly touch your head with your hands.
- Lower your chest and pull your ribs down toward your hips.
- Curl your upper body up, lifting slowly, one part at a time.
- Lower yourself back down slowly until your upper back and shoulders return to the bench.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Set the decline bench, hook your feet securely, and lie back with your hips and spine aligned.
- Cross your arms over your chest or hold your hands lightly beside your head.
- Start with your torso lowered along the bench and your ribs pulled down.
- Exhale and curl your torso upward, lifting one vertebra at a time off the pad.
- Continue until your torso reaches an upright position over your hips.
- Lower yourself back down under control until your upper back and shoulders return to the bench.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the torso with momentum
- Pulling the head with hands
- Letting ribs flare excessively
- Dropping back onto bench
Form cues
- Curl ribs toward pelvis
- Curl, don't yank up
- Keep chin neutral
- Cross arms to regress
