10 Best Cable Seated Crunch Alternatives for Ab Strength

The Cable Seated Crunch is done seated with a cable machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Leg Pull In Flat Bench, Seated Leg Tucks and the Reverse Crunch.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Cable Seated Crunch

Cable Seated CrunchPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Cable
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Obliques

How to perform Cable Seated Crunch
  1. Sit on a cable machine with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent.
  2. Hold the cable handle with both hands and position it behind your head.
  3. Engage your abs and slowly curl your upper body forward, bringing your chest towards your knees.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Cable Seated Crunch Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Cable Seated Crunch on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Leg Pull In Flat BenchPlay demonstration

    1. Leg Pull In Flat Bench

    85% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a flat bench with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
    2. Place your hands on the bench beside your hips for support.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
  2. Seated Leg Tucks

    2. Seated Leg Tucks

    80% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with the legs stretched out in front of you slightly below parallel and your arms holding on to the sides of the bench. Your torso should be leaning backwards around a 45-degree angle from the bench. This will be your starting position.
    2. Bring the knees in toward you as you move your torso closer to them at the same time. Breathe out as you perform this movement.
    3. After a second pause, go back to the starting position as you inhale.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Seated Crunch
  3. Reverse CrunchPlay demonstration

    3. Reverse Crunch

    78% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended along your sides.
    2. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
    3. Contract your abs and curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  4. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    4. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    77% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on an exercise mat or a flat bench with your legs off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench (or with palms down by the side on an exercise mat). Also extend your legs straight out. This will be your starting position.
    3. Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue this movement until your knees are near your chest. Hold the contracted position for a second.
    4. As you breathe in, slowly return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  5. Sit-upPlay demonstration

    5. Sit-up

    77% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  6. Lying Leg-hip RaisePlay demonstration

    6. Lying Leg-hip Raise

    77% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Engage your core and lift your legs off the ground, raising them towards the ceiling.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  7. Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    7. Seated Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    75% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on a bench with the legs stretched out in front of you slightly below parallel and your arms holding on to the sides of the bench. Your torso should be leaning backwards around a 45-degree angle from the bench. This will be your starting position.
    2. Bring the knees in toward you as you move your torso closer to them at the same time. Breathe out as you perform this movement.
    3. After a second pause, go back to the starting position as you inhale.
    4. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: seated, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Seated Crunch
  8. Sit-up With Arms On ChestPlay demonstration

    8. Sit-up With Arms On Chest

    74% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Cross your arms over your chest.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  9. Arms Overhead Full Sit-upPlay demonstration

    9. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up

    73% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is upright.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated
  10. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    10. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    73% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie with your back flat on a bench and your legs extended in front of you off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you keep your legs extended, straight as possible with your knees slightly bent but locked raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
    4. Now, as you inhale, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Seated Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, not seated

Cable Seated Crunch FAQ

Can I do the Cable Seated Crunch at home?

Not as written, since it needs a cable stack. The Leg Pull In Flat Bench works with a bench and your own weight: you sit with your legs extended, hands on the bench beside your hips, and lift your knees toward your chest before lowering them slowly. It is the swap to reach for when a bench is all you have.

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Similarity scores compare exercise metadata such as movement pattern, muscles, equipment and body position. They are not a safety rating or a check that you own the equipment. Learn about our methodology