10 Best Crunch Floor Alternatives for Home Workouts

The Crunch Floor is done lying on your back. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Prisoner Half Sit-up, the Crunch (On Stability Ball) and the Arms Straight) Crunch (On Stability Ball. Four harder versions, among them the Crunch (Hands Overhead) and the Decline Crunch, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

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

Original Exercise: Crunch Floor

Crunch FloorPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Bodyweight
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Hip Flexors

How to perform Crunch Floor
  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. Engage your abs and lift your shoulders off the ground, curling forward towards your knees.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Crunch Floor Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Crunch Floor 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

  1. Best match
    Prisoner Half Sit-upPlay demonstration

    1. Prisoner Half Sit-up

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation

    It uses the same equipment and still works the abs.

    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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  2. Crunch (Hands Overhead)Play demonstration

    Progression

    2. Crunch (Hands Overhead)

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the abs.

    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 straight above your head.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward 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 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  3. Decline CrunchPlay demonstration

    Progression

    3. Decline Crunch

    99% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body towards your knees, curling your torso.
    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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  4. Crunch (On Stability Ball)Play demonstration

    4. Crunch (On Stability Ball)

    96% match
    • Abs
    • Stability-ball
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    A good swap when you have a stability ball to work with, and it still works the abs.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
    2. Lie back on the ball until your lower back is supported and your upper body is parallel to the floor.
    3. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
    4. Engage your abs and lift your upper body towards your knees, curling your torso forward.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    6. 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Crunch Floor
  5. Arms Straight) Crunch (On Stability BallPlay demonstration

    5. Arms Straight) Crunch (On Stability Ball

    96% match
    • Abs
    • Stability-ball
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
    2. Lie back on the ball until your lower back is supported and your upper body is parallel to the floor.
    3. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
    4. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ball, curling your shoulders towards your hips.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    6. 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Crunch Floor
  6. Half Sit-upPlay demonstration

    6. Half Sit-up

    94% 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  7. Quarter Sit-upPlay demonstration

    7. Quarter Sit-up

    94% 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  8. CocoonsPlay demonstration

    Progression

    8. Cocoons

    93% 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  9. Cross Body CrunchPlay demonstration

    Progression

    9. Cross Body Crunch

    91% 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, lift your upper body off the ground and twist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor
  10. Butt-upsPlay demonstration

    10. Butt-ups

    90% 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 by your sides, palms facing down.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
    5. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    6. 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 Crunch Floor
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Crunch Floor
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Crunch Floor

Crunch Floor FAQ

What muscles does Crunch Floor work?

Crunch Floor primarily targets the rectus abdominis with secondary activation of the external obliques and some hip-flexor involvement. Cue: initiate movement by curling the ribcage toward the pelvis to emphasize spinal flexion and feel the rectus engage.

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