Exercise guide
Ring Supine Crunch
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Rep-based
- Waist
The Ring Supine Crunch is a dynamic core exercise that utilizes suspension instability to challenge the entire abdominal wall and obliques. By suspending the feet, it forces the quadriceps to engage as stabilizers while integrating upper and lower body flexion for maximum core tension.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Adjust the rings to mid-calf height and sit on the floor facing the anchor point.
- Place your heels securely into the rings or foot cradles and lie back on the floor.
- Extend your legs fully and place your hands lightly behind your head or across your chest.
- Engage your core to ensure your lower back is in contact with the floor.
How to do it
- Exhale and simultaneously lift your shoulder blades off the floor while pulling your knees toward your chest.
- Squeeze your abdominals at the peak of the movement, ensuring the rings remain stable and do not swing.
- Inhale and slowly extend your legs back to the starting position while lowering your torso with control.
- Maintain a 2-1-2 tempo: two seconds to crunch, a one-second hold, and two seconds to extend.
Form checklist
- Keep your lower back pressed firmly into the floor, especially during the leg extension phase.
- Avoid pulling on your neck; use your abs to lift your shoulder blades.
- Ensure your quadriceps are locked and engaged when the legs are fully extended.
- Keep the rings parallel to each other throughout the entire range of motion.
Pro tips
- Focus on 'shortening the distance' between your ribcage and your pelvis to maximize rectus abdominis recruitment.
- Press your heels down into the rings during the extension phase to increase tension in the lower abs and quads.
Make it harder
- Perform the crunch with your arms extended straight overhead to increase the lever length and core demand.
- Incorporate a slight torso twist at the top of the movement to increase oblique activation.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the ring supine crunch work?
- The ring supine crunch primarily targets the abs and obliques, and also works the hip flexors as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the ring supine crunch?
- The ring supine crunch uses suspension trainer.
- Is the ring supine crunch good for beginners?
- The ring supine crunch is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.