All about the Bench Crunch Crossover
(Abs)
START POSITION: Sit on a yoga mat, alongside a bench that has a straight edge. Raise both feet onto the bench and slide your bum forward until the backs of your knees are snug with the bench edge. It is crucial that your upper legs (thighs) are vertical from the knee to the hip, and that the bench is not too high, so your hips and buttocks should be planted firmly on the mat for stability.
Place your hands on your temples (or grab both ears) and point your elbows forward, but slightly wider than for standard straight bench crunches. Many people tell their elbows outwards, but this is a lazy position and can create more instability in the lower back.
NOTES: Difficulty Rating 55%
The Bench Crunch Crossover version of the Bench Crunch exercise is very similar to the standard Bench Crunch, and you should aim to mix up the two forms – 5 reps of the Standard form followed by five reps of the Crossover form. The only difference is that on the way up, you should roll across your body in a slight twisting motion and try to connect each alternate elbow with the opposite knee. Don’t move your legs and knees! Don’t worry if you can’t touch the elbows to knees – do your best. The exercise engages the Oblique muscles, along with the Core and central Abs.
The Bench Crunch Crossover is a perfect ‘finishing exercise’ at the end of most gym workouts. They form part of the Mojoh-100 recommended finishing sequence for ALL levels of ability.
This exercise is safe for individuals with lower back issues, and the difficulty level can be easily varied to suit all abilities. However, as with all abdominal exercises, incorrect performance increases the risk of injury to the lower back region. However, building strength in abdominal muscles is an essential part of recovery from lower back issues. It follows that when using gym exercises to promote recovery from back problems, good form is paramount. Get it wrong and you will make things worse.
5 Tips for Perfect Form for the Bench Crunch Crossover Exercise
- Lie on your back with your legs resting on the bench, keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle
- Place your hands at the sides of your head or grab your ears, and engage your core to lift your head and shoulders off the floor
- Twist your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee
- Lower down and repeat on the other side
- Keep your movements slow and controlled, and focus on squeezing your obliques
To make bench crossover crunches easier, try placing your hands lightly on your thighs for support, or do fewer reps. To make them harder, hold a weight plate or dumbbell on your chest, or extend your arms straight back behind your head. You can try increasing the speed of your movements, but please make sure you maintain control and proper form.
It’s best to do Bench Crunch Crossovers right after doing normal Bench Crunches, and you can mix them up as you feel is best at the time. When working on Abs, perform all the main abdominal exercises together in a logical sequence that maximizes training benefits. Both types of Bench Crunches are best done as a last or near last exercise, before you relax for the rest of the day.
Scott Hermann is a top-notch online gym coach and one of my primary go-to resources for all gym exercise form—always Quick (no fluff), focused, and informative videos.
According to Scott, you don’t need a bench to do bench crunch crossovers. I prefer to use a bench for mine. But if Scott says it’s OK, then it’s OK.