The sit-up bench is a popular piece of fitness equipment that is seen in homes, gyms and hotels nationwide. The bench part of it is in a decline and it has padded supports on the top to place your legs under. This helps to stabilize your body while you are working out. Being that you are in a declined position with your legs fixed, the sit-up bench primarily works the upper body, and there are several ways it can be used.
Step 1
Perform decline crunches. Decline crunches work the abdominal area, but they put more emphasis on the lower abs. To do these, lie on the bench with your legs hooked under the supports. Place your hands on the sides of your head. Curl your body up, squeeze your abs and hold for a second, then lower yourself back down. Repeat 12 to 15 times.
Step 2
Extend your arms over your head. Pullover crunches recruit more overall muscles being that your arms are over your head. To perform these, grab a moderately heavy medicine ball. Lie down on the bench with your legs under the supports and your arms fully extended behind your head. Perform a crunch and pull the ball over your body until it is in right in front of your chest. Lower yourself back down, and extend your arms back out. Repeat 12 to 15 times.
Step 3
Twist from side to side. Side-to-side twists are done with a medicine ball, and they put emphasis on the obliques. To do these, sit up on the bench with the medicine ball in your hands. Extend your arms straight out on front of your body, rotate your upper body to your right, then to the left. Go back and forth 12 to 15 times, and lower yourself back down.
Step 4
Reverse the direction of your body. To do decline reverse crunches, lie on the bench with your legs facing downward. Grab the sides of the bench above your head and extend your legs straight out. Curl your knees up to your chest, then extend them back out. Do 12 to 15 reps. These place more emphasis on your lower abs.
Step 5
Grab a pair of dumbbells. The lower chest muscles can be worked on the sit-up bench with the help of dumbbells. Lie on the bench with your legs under the supports and dumbbells in your hands. Push them straight up in the air so they are above you. Slowly lower them down until your upper arms are parallel to the floor and push them back up. Stop when they are about 1 inch apart. Use a weight heavy enough that you can only do 10 to 12 reps.
Tips and Warnings
- When you do decline crunches, do not tuck your chin in toward your chest. Keep your head and shoulders straight the whole time. When you do pullover crunches, make sure to keep your arms straight the whole time. When you do side-to-side rotations, keep your head in line with the ball at all times. If they are too difficult to do with your arms extended, keep the ball tucked into your chest.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbells
- Medicine ball
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