# Decline Sit-Up: how to do it

- Main muscles: abs
- Also works: hip flexors
- Equipment: bench
- Level: intermediate
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/decline_sit_up/15d4a856bd/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Set the decline bench at a shallow angle and hook your ankles under the rollers.
2. Cross your arms over your chest and lie back until your upper back almost touches the pad.
3. Breathe out and curl up, chest first, until your chest comes towards your thighs.
4. Pause, then lower slowly to just above the pad.

## Cues

- Chin tucked, chest leads.
- Lower slowly, do not drop.
- Feet hooked lightly, no yanking.

## Common mistakes

- Pulling on your neck: keep your arms crossed on your chest.
- Bouncing off the pad: pause at the top and take two seconds to lower.
- Bench too steep: lower the angle a setting and rebuild your reps.

## The version in our demo

Decline sit-up on a sit-up bench set at about 30°, knees bent over the pad, ankles hooked under the rollers, arms crossed on the chest. Sources give 30–45° and advise starting shallow; crossed arms avoid any suggestion of pulling on the neck.

## Starting position

Sitting on the bench with the hips at the high end, knees bent over the top pad and the ankles hooked lightly under the rollers (calves pressing up against them). Arms crossed over the chest, hands on the opposite shoulders. Lie back with control until the upper back is just short of the back pad; head lower than the hips, chin slightly tucked.

## The movement

Breathe out and curl up, chest first, rounding the spine smoothly as the hips bend, until the chest comes towards the thighs. Pause, then lower slowly in reverse until the upper back is again just short of the pad, and go straight into the next rep. The feet stay hooked without yanking on the rollers; the head stays in line with the trunk and does not lead.

## Breathing

Breathe out as you curl up, in as you lower (RitFit).

## Tempo

1.5 s up, 1 s pause, 2.5 s down (5 s).

## Form in numbers

- Bench back pad 30° to the floor, head end low (source range 30–45°).
- Bottom: trunk along the pad line, about 30° below horizontal; upper back 2–3 cm off the pad (source: stop just short of the pad).

## Sources

1. [Healthline, "Decline Situps: Instructions, Muscles Worked, and More" (Emily Cronkleton, reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, NASM-CPT)](https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/decline-sit-ups)
2. [RitFit, "How to Do Decline Sit-Ups on a Weight Bench"](https://www.ritfitsports.com/blogs/article/how-to-do-decline-sit-ups-on-a-weight-bench)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/decline-sit-up