High-Anchored Band Crunch: how to do it right
In short: Crunch with a band anchored high, targeting the rectus abdominis with a tension peak in the shortened position, torso curled.
How to do it, step by step
- 1Anchor the band high, hold it behind your neck or at your temples, kneeling or seated, back straight with a slight starting stretch.
- 2Curl the torso by bringing your ribs toward the pelvis, chin slightly tucked, without pulling with your arms.
- 3Try to hollow the belly and round the upper back at the end of the range.
- 4Squeeze the abs hard for 1 second in the low curled position.
- 5Unroll slowly over 2 to 3 seconds while resisting the band until the starting stretch.
The mistake to avoid
Don't pull on your neck with your arms. The movement comes from your abs.
Other common mistakes
- Pulling with the arms and shoulders instead of curling the trunk: keep your hands passive and think only about bringing ribs and pelvis together.
- Folding at the hips by tipping the whole torso as one block: the movement must come from curling the spine, not the hip.
- Letting go all at once in the top position and letting the band pull you back: control the return over 2 to 3 seconds.
- Skipping the final contraction even though it's the tension peak: be sure to hold the 1 second in the shortened position.
Muscles worked
- Main:
- Abs
Rectus abdominis, especially its upper portion that brings the sternum toward the pubis. The obliques stabilize the trunk and prevent rotation. The transversus abdominis locks the midsection. Here the band pulls upward, so it's the supra-umbilical portion that takes the peak as you curl the torso.
What to replace it with
Same muscle, same part of the movement: these exercises do the same job.
Frequently asked questions
How do I do this exercise?
Band anchored high, held behind the neck or at the temples, kneeling or seated, back straight at the start. Curl the torso by bringing your ribs toward the pelvis, chin slightly tucked, without pulling with your arms. Squeeze for a second, then unroll over 2 to 3 seconds.
I don't feel anything, is that normal?
You should feel the upper abs burn at the end of the curl. If you don't, you're pulling with the arms or folding from the hip: slow down, go lighter, and focus on bringing each rib toward the navel.
How fast do I do the movement?
Controlled curl, one second squeezed, unrolled over 2 to 3 seconds while resisting the band. With this setup, forget the rep count and think only about the quality of the contraction.
How do I position myself?
Kneeling is more stable and lets you brace harder. The anchor should be clearly above your head, and there should already be a slight stretch when you're upright, otherwise the start of the movement is empty.