Decline situps involve a bench that tilts your whole body backward as far as 45 degrees, with your legs held in place by a support bar. Decline benches provide a more-intense abdominal workout for your upper and lower abdominals, as well as your obliques and transverse abdominus. When you add a medicine ball, the resistance becomes greater, further increasing the intensity. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, work your abs and core once or twice a week on non-consecutive days. Chose a medicine ball that is heavy enough to fatigue your abs after 20 repetitions.
Basic Crunches
The most basic abdominal exercise on the decline bench is the crunch. Sit on the bench and grab the medicine ball. Sit all the way up and hold the ball at your chest. Slowly lower yourself down until your middle back contacts the bench. Do not rest on the bench, just make contact with it, and then crunch yourself back up. For added resistance, hold the ball straight up in the air or behind your head.
Oblique Rotations
Start sitting up on the decline bench, holding the ball at your chest. Slowly lower yourself back until you are halfway down. Twist your upper body to the right, while simultaneously moving the medicine ball to the right side of your body. Return to center position. Proceed to turn to the left, bringing the ball to the left side of your body. Return to center. That whole rotation is one repetition. Repeat that sequence 15 to 20 times.
Oblique Crunch
Sit on the decline bench and grab the medicine ball in your hands. Lower yourself down all the way, so you are resting flat on the bench, ball against your chest. Squeeze your abdominals and crunch up. As you crunch, twist to the right and bring the medicine ball to your right knee. Slowly lower back down, and repeat for 15 to 20 repetitions. Do the same for the left side. For added intensity, hold the up position for three seconds before lowering back down.
Reverse Leg Lifts
For this exercise, sit reverse on the decline bench so that your head is up by where your feet normally are. Lay flat on the bench, raise your arms overhead, and grab the leg bar for support. Place a light medicine ball in between your ankles or knees. Keeping your legs straight or slightly bent, lift them into the air until they reach vertical. Slowly lower them back down. For added intensity, add a hip lift once your legs reach vertical.
Negative Crunches
Sit on the decline bench holding the medicine ball at your chest. Start sitting all the way up. Slowly lower yourself all the way down flat, counting to 10 as you go. Once you reach the bench, quickly sit all the way back up. Negative crunches emphasize the eccentric contraction, or lengthening phase of the muscle contraction and are very effective for gaining strength and muscle tone. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
References
- Muscle and Strength: Decline Situp Video and Instructions
- Bodybuilding.com: Exercise Guides -- Abdominal Exercises
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechel and Roger W. Earle; 2008
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