Knee Touch Crunch
Knee Touch Crunch is built for your first months of training and fits at the end of any workout.
How to do Knee Touch Crunch
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and reach your right hand towards your left knee.
- Return to the starting position and repeat, this time reaching your left hand towards your right knee.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Knee Touch Crunch Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Common Knee Touch Crunch Mistakes
Adding reps forever instead of making the movement harder
Change leverage, elevation, or tempo once you clear your rep range.
Pulling with the hip flexors while the abs stay slack
Start every rep by flattening the lower back down, then move.
Easier and Harder Than Knee Touch Crunch
Swap Knee Touch Crunch For
Knee Touch Crunch — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Knee Touch Crunch?
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards. Engaging your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and reach your right hand towards your left knee. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Knee Touch Crunch work?
The Knee Touch Crunch primarily targets the abs. It is classified as a core exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Knee Touch Crunch should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Knee Touch Crunch good for beginners?
Yes. The Knee Touch Crunch is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Knee Touch Crunch?
Try the Spell Caster, Band Assisted Wheel Rollerout or the Cable Side Bend Crunch (bosu Ball). Each trains the abs with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
