Crunch (hands overhead)
- Zielmuskel
- Rectus Abdominis
- Synergistenmuskeln
- Obliques
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Waist
- Typ
- Strength
The crunch with hands overhead is a bodyweight core exercise that primarily targets the rectus abdominis (the front "six-pack" muscles), with the obliques assisting to stabilize the torso. Extending your arms overhead lengthens the lever from your hands to your hips, so the abs have to work harder than in a standard crunch to lift your shoulders off the floor.
Crunch (hands overhead): So führst du sie aus
- 1Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, roughly hip-width apart.
- 2Extend both arms straight overhead on the floor, keeping them in line with your torso and your biceps near your ears.
- 3Brace your core and press your lower back gently into the mat to remove any gap.
- 4Curl your shoulder blades up off the floor, keeping your arms extended overhead and moving as one unit with your upper body.
- 5Exhale as you rise, focusing on shortening the distance between your ribs and your hips rather than just swinging your arms.
- 6Pause briefly at the top with your abs fully contracted.
- 7Inhale and lower your shoulders back to the floor under control, keeping tension in your abs.
- 8Complete your reps without letting your arms or head rest fully between repetitions.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep your arms straight and locked in line with your torso so the lengthened lever forces the abs to do the work, not momentum.
- Move from your abs, not your arms — think of pulling your ribs toward your hips rather than throwing your hands forward.
- Keep your lower back lightly pressed into the mat throughout the set to protect your spine and keep tension on the rectus abdominis.
- Lower slowly on the way down to keep the muscles under load for the full rep instead of dropping back to the floor.
Häufige Fehler
- Swinging the arms to generate momentum, which shifts the effort off the abs and makes the rep easier than it should be.
- Pulling on the head or neck — though your hands are overhead, dropping them behind to yank the head strains the neck.
- Lifting too high by hinging at the hips instead of curling the spine, which recruits the hip flexors rather than the abs.
- Arching the lower back off the mat, which removes tension from the rectus abdominis and stresses the spine.
- Holding your breath instead of exhaling on the way up, which reduces core bracing and the strength of the contraction.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the crunch with hands overhead work?
It primarily works the rectus abdominis, the front abdominal muscles that flex your spine, with the obliques assisting to stabilize your torso. Holding the arms overhead increases the load on the abs compared with a standard crunch.
How is this different from a standard crunch?
In a standard crunch your hands are near your head or across your chest. Extending them overhead lengthens the lever from your hands to your hips, so your rectus abdominis has to produce more force to lift your shoulders — making it a harder variation without adding weight.
Is the crunch with hands overhead good for beginners?
It is more challenging than a basic crunch because of the long arm lever, so true beginners may want to start with hands on the chest. Once you can do clean standard crunches, the overhead version is a simple way to add difficulty using only body weight.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Since it uses only body weight, aim for higher reps — about 2 to 4 sets of 12 to 20 controlled reps. Stop a set once your form breaks down and you start swinging your arms for momentum.
Where should I feel this exercise?
You should feel it in the front of your abs (the rectus abdominis), strongest near the top of the curl. If you feel it mainly in your hip flexors, neck, or lower back, you are likely hinging at the hips or pulling on your head rather than curling your spine.
