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Side Crunch strength standards

What is a good Side Crunch?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Side Crunch is about 46 reps. Advanced starts around 76 reps. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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How Many Side Crunch Should You Be Able to Do?

Side Crunch rep targets for a 180 lb man, by training level:

Beginner3 reps
Novice21 reps
Intermediate46 reps
Advanced76 reps
Elite110 reps

Side Crunch Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 < 1 17 48 89 134
120 < 1 18 49 87 130
130 < 1 19 49 85 127
140 < 1 20 48 83 123
150 < 1 20 48 82 119
160 1 21 47 80 116
170 2 21 47 78 113
180 3 21 46 76 110
190 3 21 45 75 107
200 4 21 45 73 104
210 4 21 44 71 102
220 4 21 43 70 99
230 5 21 42 68 97
240 5 20 42 67 94
250 5 20 41 65 92
260 5 20 40 64 90
270 5 20 40 63 88
280 5 19 39 62 86
290 5 19 38 60 84
300 5 19 37 59 83
310 5 18 37 58 81

The Side Crunch standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Side Crunch Standards by Age

How the Side Crunch standards change with age, in reps. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 < 1 12 36 65 98
20 < 1 18 45 79 116
25 < 1 19 47 81 120
30 < 1 19 47 81 120
35 < 1 19 47 81 120
40 < 1 19 47 81 120
45 < 1 17 43 76 112
50 < 1 14 39 69 104
55 < 1 10 34 62 94
60 < 1 8 28 54 83
65 < 1 5 23 46 72
70 < 1 1 17 38 62
75 < 1 < 1 12 31 52
80 < 1 < 1 9 25 43
85 < 1 < 1 5 19 36
90 < 1 < 1 2 14 29

The Side Crunch standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Side Crunch Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male doing 46 Side Crunch is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

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What the Side Crunch Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are working toward your first full-range reps. An easier version or a shorter range is the normal starting point.

Novice

You can do a few full-range reps in a row with control. Adding one rep to your best set every week or two is steady progress here.

Intermediate

You can do a solid set of clean reps without swinging, bouncing or cutting the range short. Two or three sessions a week with planned sets keep the number climbing.

Advanced

Long sets with strict form are routine for you. Many lifters at this level add load with harder variations to keep progressing.

Elite

Rep counts this high for your bodyweight take years of focused training. Weighted or harder variations are usually the next challenge.

How to Progress Your Side Crunch

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Side Crunch to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Your First Full Reps
  • Start with an easier version you can do for 8 to 12 clean reps.
  • Move to the full version once 12 clean reps feel easy.
  • End each set one or two reps before your form breaks.
Novice → Intermediate Build Rep Volume
  • Train the movement 2 to 3 times a week with several sets, not one all-out set.
  • Add one rep to one set each session, and keep the full range.
  • Test your max reps every 3 to 4 weeks, not every session.
Intermediate → Advanced Add Load or Harder Variations
  • Once you can do 12 to 15 strict reps, add weight and train in the 5 to 8 rep range.
  • Slow the lowering phase or pause at the hardest point.
  • Keep one high-rep day a week so your max set keeps growing.
Advanced → Elite Peak Your Max Set
  • Run 4 to 6 week blocks that build volume, then ease off the week before a max test.
  • Track your best set and your weighted reps: both show progress.
  • Your bodyweight changes your rep count directly, so compare tests at a similar weight.

How to Perform Side Crunch

Primary Muscles Obliques, Rectus Abdominis, Hip Flexors
Equipment None
  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
  2. Place your hands behind your head, elbows wide, or cross them over your chest.
  3. Engage your core and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, twisting your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
  4. Lower back down to the starting position with control.
  5. Repeat the movement on the opposite side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
  6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your lower back pressed into the floor to avoid strain.
  • Do not pull on your neck with your hands; use your core to lift.
  • Move in a controlled manner to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Exhale as you lift and twist, inhale as you return to starting position.

Where Do These Side Crunch Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Side Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Side Crunch itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

A good Side Crunch number depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier in Side Crunch after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Side Crunch table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.