Workout benches are pieces of fitness equipment that are primarily used to work the chest. But they can also be used for other muscle groups like the abs. Sit-ups are a popular exercise that involve the rectus abdominus, which is the six-pack portion of the abs. You can perform sit-ups on a flat bench or you can use a decline bench.
Step 1
Get the bench in the right place. Load a barbell or preacher curl bar and place it about 2 feet away from the bench in a parallel position.
Step 2
Get your body into the right orientation. Sit perpendicular on the bench and hook your feet under the bar. Place the tops of your ankles underneath where the bottom of your legs form a curvature.
Step 3
Perform the exercise. Sit straight up and place your hands across your chest or on the sides of your head. Lower your upper body down towards the ground slowly and feel the contraction in your abs. Stop when your back is just above parallel to the ground and cone back to the starting point. Inhale when you are lowering your body, and exhale when you are sitting up.
Step 4
Use the decline bench for a variation. Lie on the bench with the lower part of your shins hooked under the padded supports. Place your hands across your chest or on the sides of your head. Keep your back straight and come up to a sitting position by contracting your abs. Hold for a second, then slowly lower yourself back down.
Step 5
Add resistance to your sit-ups. Come into the starting point with the flat bench or decline bench. Hold a medicine ball against your chest and perform sit-ups. For a more advanced variation, extend the ball in front of your body.
Tips and Warnings
- Place a towel around the bar for extra padding when you do sit-ups on the flat bench.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Medicine ball
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