10 Best Knee Touch Crunch Alternatives for Lower-Back Sensitivity

Ranked Knee Touch Crunch Alternatives

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

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Frog Crunch

   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, 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
2. Play demonstration

   2. Groin Crunch

   96% 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 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 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
3. Play demonstration

   3. 3/4 Sit-up

   95% 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
4. Play demonstration

   4. Flexion Leg Sit Up (Bent Knee)

   95% 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. At the same time, lift your legs off the ground, bending your knees and bringing them towards your chest.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
5. Play demonstration

   Progression

   5. Flexion Leg Sit Up (Straight Arm)

   95% 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 legs extended and arms straight above your head.
   2. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground while simultaneously lifting your legs towards your chest.
   3. Reach your hands towards your toes as you lift your upper body and legs.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
6. Play demonstration

   6. Stability Ball Crunch (Full Range Hands Behind Head)

   92% match

   • Abs
   • Stability-ball
   • Beginner
   • 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. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, slowly curl your upper body forward, bringing your chest towards your knees.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Knee Touch Crunch
7. Play demonstration

   Progression

   7. Lying Leg-hip Raise

   89% 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
8. Play demonstration

   Progression

   8. Reverse Crunch

   89% 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
9. 

   Progression

   9. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

   88% 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 Knee Touch Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
10. Play demonstration

    Progression

    10. Sit-up

    88% 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 Knee Touch Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Knee Touch Crunch