Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound
Lever Seated Crunch: How to Do It & Muscles Worked
The lever seated crunch is an abdominal exercise performed on a leverage machine. It targets the abs and also engages the obliques. The movement involves crunching forward against resistance, making it a controlled and effective core strengthening exercise.
How to do the lever seated crunch
- Step 1: Sit on the leverage machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
- Step 2: Grasp the handles or place your hands on the side pads for support.
- Step 3: Engage your abs and slowly lean back, allowing the pad to move with you.
- Step 4: Once your upper body is at a 45-degree angle, contract your abs and crunch forward, bringing your chest towards your knees.
- Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly release and return to the starting position.
- Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Sets, reps and programming
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest | Effort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 3–5 min | 1–3 reps in reserve |
| Muscle growth | 3–4 | 6–12 | 2–3 min | 1–2 reps in reserve |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 12–20 | 1–2 min | 1–3 reps in reserve |
Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.
Lever Seated Crunch alternatives
More exercises that train the abs as their main target:
-
3/4 Sit-Up
Abs · Body Weight · Beginner compound -
45° Side Bend
Abs · Body Weight · Beginner compound -
Air Bike
Abs · Body Weight · Beginner compound -
Alternate Heel Touchers
Abs · Body Weight · Beginner compound -
Assisted Hanging Knee Raise
Abs · Assisted · Beginner compound -
Assisted Motion Russian Twist
Abs · Medicine Ball · Beginner compound -
Assisted Prone Rectus Femoris Stretch
Abs · Assisted · Beginner stretch -
Assisted Sit-Up
Abs · Assisted · Beginner compound
More abs exercises
-
Dead Bug
Abs · Body Weight · Beginner compound -
Hanging Leg Raise
Abs · Body Weight · Advanced compound -
Arm Slingers Hanging Bent Knee Legs
Abs · Body Weight · Intermediate compound -
Arm Slingers Hanging Straight Legs
Abs · Body Weight · Advanced compound -
Arms Overhead Full Sit-Up (Male)
Abs · Body Weight · Intermediate compound -
Assisted Hanging Knee Raise with Throw Down
Abs · Assisted · Advanced compound
Sources
- American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
- Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
- Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.
Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.
This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.