What It Works

The floor crunch trains the front of the core — the muscles that curl the ribcage toward the hips. It is a small, controlled curl, not a sit-up.

In everyday life this is the same pattern as sitting up from the floor or bracing when you cough, laugh, or get out of bed.

How to Perform

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Lightly place your fingertips behind your ears or cross your arms on your chest. Keep a little space under your low back — don’t yank the neck.

Curl the ribs toward the hips by tightening the abs. Your shoulder blades come off the floor. Pause, then lower under control. The hips stay on the floor the whole time.

Setup & Movement – Quick Bullets

• Knees bent, feet flat
• Hands light behind the ears or on the chest
• Curl the ribs toward the hips
• Shoulder blades lift off the floor
• Neck stays long — don’t pull on the head
• Lower under control

Common Mistakes

The biggest issues are pulling on the neck, turning it into a full sit-up, rushing the reps, and letting the low back peel and slam.

Watch Out For

• Yanking the head forward
• Sitting all the way up
• Using momentum
• Holding the breath the whole set

Quick Fixes

• Think “ribs to hips,” not “head to knees”
• Keep the hands light
• Exhale as you curl
• Own a small, honest range

Key Cue

Ribs to hips. Neck quiet.

This is a curl of the ribcage, not a pull of the head. If your neck is doing the work, slow down and shorten the range.

Scaling

Easier: Cross the arms on the chest and use a smaller curl.

Harder: Pause at the top or slow the lowering phase.