Decline Sit Up

Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your hands over your chest or beside your head. The angle can overarch your back, so brace your core before moving.

Curl your torso with your abs and rise toward a seated position. Start without momentum so your abs stay in control at the bench angle.

Lower back to the bench slowly. Do not drop your body; control the descent with your core one vertebra at a time.

Because this is harder than a standard sit-up, control on the way down matters most. Lower the bench angle if you lose core tension.

Using momentum or overextending your back on the way down increases back strain. Control both directions before increasing the bench angle.

Exhale as you rise and inhale as you lower. Take a brief reset at the top before the next rep.

The decline angle changes difficulty substantially, so learn the movement at a low angle first. Spend more time controlling the descent rather than pausing at the top.