Side Crunches
The side crunch is a floor exercise that shortens the waist laterally, drawing the ribs toward the hip on one side to work the obliques directly. It gives beginners a low-skill way to train the side of the trunk before graduating to planks, holds and rotational drills. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 6–10 per side, slow | 90 s |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 9–12 per side | 60 s |
| Endurance | 3 × 18–27 per side | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
True beginner exercise — the floor supports everything while you learn to feel the obliques shorten.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Lie on your back, knees bent, then drop both knees to one side
- Keep both shoulder blades starting in contact with the floor
- Place the fingertips lightly behind the head — no pulling
- Crunch the upper body straight up, drawing the bottom ribs toward the top hip
- Lower with a slow two-count and repeat before switching sides
Breathing: Exhale as the ribs crunch toward the hip, inhale on the way down.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
How to program side crunches
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Tempo | Rest | RPE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength — entry | 3 | 6-8 per side, paused | 2-1-2-0 | 90 s | 7 |
| Strength — standard | 4 | 6-10 per side, slow | 2-1-2-0 | 90 s | 8 |
| Strength — advanced | 4 | 10 per side, 2 s squeeze at top | 2-2-2-0 | 90 s | 8-9 |
| Hypertrophy — entry | 3 | 9-10 per side | 2-1-1-0 | 60 s | 7 |
| Hypertrophy — standard | 3-4 | 9-12 per side | 2-1-1-0 | 60 s | 8 |
| Hypertrophy — advanced | 4 | 12 per side, 3 s lowering | 3-1-1-0 | 60 s | 8-9 |
| Endurance — entry | 3 | 14-18 per side | smooth, continuous | 60 s | 6-7 |
| Endurance — standard | 3 | 18-27 per side | smooth, continuous | 45-60 s | 7-8 |
| Endurance — advanced | 3 | 27 per side, minimal top pause | brisk, form intact | 45 s | 8 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 1-2 | 2 | 6-8 per side | slow, small range | 60 s | 5 |
| Beginner on-ramp — week 3-4 | 3 | 8-10 per side | 2-1-1-0 | 60 s | 6 |
| Deload / technique | 2 | 8 per side, half range | 3-1-1-0 | 60 s | 5 |
Common questions
Do side crunches give you a smaller waist?
They strengthen and can modestly build the obliques, but waist size is dominated by body fat levels, which respond to overall nutrition and activity rather than any single exercise. Train side crunches for trunk strength and control; pair them with a sensible calorie approach if a leaner waist is the goal.
Side crunches vs bicycle crunches — which is better for obliques?
Bicycle crunches add rotation and hit the obliques through a bigger range, but they are also easier to rush and butcher. Side crunches are simpler, slower and easier to feel in exactly the right place. Beginners do well starting with side crunches, then adding bicycles once control is automatic.
How many side crunches per day should I do?
Daily high-rep crunching is not necessary — the obliques grow and strengthen like any muscle, from two to four quality sessions per week. Three sets of nine to twelve controlled reps per side within a session is a productive dose; progress by slowing the tempo or pausing at the top.
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