Although the sit-up bench is mainly used for, well, sit-ups, it's not a one-trick pony. You can use this machine to strengthen multiple muscle groups.
Learn how to use the sit-up bench as effectively as possible and build your own sit-up bench workout for when the gym is way too crowded.
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1. Decline Sit-Up
The incline sit-up bench is typically used for decline sit-ups, according to Carolina Araujo, CPT, a New York-based strength coach.
"The incline bench makes sit-ups a little more challenging because you have extra resistance from gravity on the way up," she says.
How to Do It
- Hook your feet into the pads of the incline bench. Your feet should feel secure.
- Lie flat on the bench with your arms at your sides.
- With control, lift your shoulders and back off the bench.
- Sit up until the top of your head is pointing toward the ceiling.
Tip
Decline sit-ups aren't an easy exercise. So, if this feels too challenging, only sit up as high as you can or do this move on a flat surface.
2. Leg Raise
You can do leg raises flat on the ground, but the incline adds a little extra challenge, according to Araujo. As with the sit-up, you have to fight the resistance of gravity in order to raise your legs until they're facing the ceiling.
How to Do It
- Lie flat on the bench with your head on the highest incline point.
- Take hold of the handlebars or footpads (different benches have different builds).
- Keeping your knees straight and zipped together, raise your legs until your feet point toward the ceiling.
- Slowly reverse the motion with control.
Tip
You want to keep your spine flush against the bench the entire time you do this move, Araujo says. If you feel your back arch halfway through the move, only raise your legs as high as you can while keeping your back rooted.
3. Russian Twist
When you're doing sit-ups on a bench, an easy progression is adding a Russian twist, Araujo says. This exercise also engages your obliques, which a standard decline or incline sit-up won't hit.
How to Do It
- Hook your feet into the pads of the incline bench. Your feet should feel secure.
- Lie flat on the bench with your hands behind your head, elbows out to the sides.
- With control, lift your shoulders and back off the bench.
- Sit up and twist your core to the right, reaching your left elbow toward your right knee.
- Reverse the motion and return to the starting position with control.
- Repeat this exercise but twist to the left, reaching your right elbow toward your left knee.
4. Incline Push-Up
"Using the sit-up bench for push-ups is pretty unconventional, but it's a great way to modify this exercise," Araujo says.
If doing standard push-ups feels too challenging, doing them on an incline will feel easier and help you maintain proper form.
How to Do It
- Stand next to the sit-up bench with your feet at about hip-width distance.
- Lean forward and place your hands on the top of the bench.
- Keeping your hips in line with your head and heels, bend your elbows and lower your body until your chest is hovering just above the bench.
- Press into your palms and reverse the motion to return to standing.
