During Reclined Bound Angle crunches, how should you lift the chest relative to the mirror?

• A. Lift straight up to the ceiling rather than forwards to the mirror
• B. Lift forwards toward the mirror
• C. Lift diagonally to the corner
• D. Keep chest low

Answer: (A)

In Reclined Bound Angle crunches, the cue is to lift the chest straight up toward the ceiling. This keeps the spine long, the ribs stacked over the pelvis, and the upper abdominal muscles doing the work without straining the neck. Lifting toward the mirror would encourage forward flexion of the neck and spine, which reduces core engagement and can cause neck tension. Lifting diagonally or keeping the chest low shifts or minimizes the intended muscle activation and alignment, so they’re not as effective.