Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch
Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch Exercise Description
The Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch is a controlled spinal-flexion core exercise performed supine with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees (tabletop). The primary target is the rectus abdominis, with the external and internal obliques assisting to stabilize the trunk. Holding the legs in tabletop encourages a slight posterior pelvic tilt, helping limit excessive lumbar extension and reducing reliance on the hip flexors compared with traditional sit-ups. The “leg tap” cue has you reach to lightly touch your thighs or shins at the top of the crunch, promoting arm position that avoids pulling on the neck. Range of motion is small: focus on drawing the ribs toward the pelvis and lifting the shoulder blades from the mat while keeping the neck long. This bodyweight movement is useful when equipment is limited and you want clear feedback on trunk control and breathing.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Waist
- Target Muscles: Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques
- Stabilizing Muscles: Iliacus, Psoas Major, Rectus Femoris, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Torso
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Stomach
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch Exercise
‘- Lie on your back. Raise legs to tabletop: hips at 90°, knees at 90°, shins parallel to the floor.
– Lightly posteriorly tilt the pelvis (belt buckle toward ribs). Brace the abdominal wall; keep ribs down.
– Place arms straight by your sides, reaching toward thighs; avoid holding the head.
– Inhale to prepare. On an exhale, perform a crunch: bring sternum toward pelvis and lift shoulder blades off the floor.
– Reach to gently tap thighs or shins without swinging the arms or jutting the chin.
– Keep the neck long (small chin tuck), shoulders away from ears, and gaze up.
– Lower the torso slowly until shoulder blades touch down; legs remain fixed at 90°.
– Maintain steady breathing; keep low back from arching and avoid pulling knees toward the chest.
– Stop if you lose pelvic position, rib control, or feel strain in the neck.
Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch Tips
‘- Set hips and knees at 90° with shins parallel to the floor before you start.
– Lightly tilt the pelvis so the “belt buckle” moves toward the ribs and keep the ribs down.
– Brace the abdominal wall to hold the legs in tabletop without letting the low back arch.
– Keep arms straight by your sides reaching toward your thighs; avoid holding or pulling the head.
– Exhale as you crunch, bringing the sternum toward the pelvis and lifting the shoulder blades off the floor.
– Reach to gently tap your thighs or shins without swinging the arms or jutting the chin forward.
– Maintain a small chin tuck with the neck long, shoulders away from the ears, and your gaze up.
– Lower slowly until the shoulder blades touch the floor while keeping the legs fixed at 90°.
– Avoid pulling the knees toward the chest to keep the focus on trunk control.
– Stop the set if you lose pelvic or rib position or feel strain in your neck.
Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch Beginner Introduction
The Lying 90 Degrees Leg Tap Crunch is a bodyweight core exercise performed lying on the back with the legs held in a right-angle position. It centers on a small, controlled curl of the spine, so the abs create the movement while the side abs assist in holding the middle of the body steady. Because the hips and knees stay bent, the lower back can settle flatter into the floor, which decreases help from the front of the hips compared with many traditional sit-up styles.
As the torso reaches the highest point of the crunch, the hands reach toward the thighs or shins for a gentle tap, encouraging arm placement that reduces the urge to pull on the head or strain the neck. The motion mainly lifts the shoulder blades away from the mat, with an emphasis on shortening the space between the ribcage and pelvis rather than sitting all the way up. Breath control plays an important role, matching the curling phase with a strong exhale to support tension through the midsection. This variation offers clear feedback on trunk stability and breathing patterns, making it a useful option when space or equipment is limited.