Band-Only Seated Lat Pulldown Crunch (Facing Away)

A step-by-step form guide from the Ægir Iron exercise library: how to do the lift, what to watch for, and the muscles it trains.

HOW TO PERFORM

Anchor a band high on the lat pulldown machine or bar, above the seat where the cable would run.
Sit on the seat facing away from the anchor, with your lower back and hips pressed firmly against the thigh pads, the edge of the machine, or by some means such that the hips cannot swing back.
Hold the band ends securely against your forehead or the sides of your head near your ears.
Start with the spine slightly extended to stretch the upper abs.
Exhale powerfully and curl the torso downward, driving your chest toward your pelvis.
Uncurl under control back to the stretch without letting the hips move.

Pinning the hips or lower back against a pad stops the hips from flexing, so the six-pack muscles (rectus abdominis) do the movement through spinal flexion alone.
Fix your hips. Keep the lower body rigid against the pads so only the upper spine moves.
Do not pull with your arms. The hands are static anchors holding the band to your head; the abs do the work.
A band gets harder the further it stretches, so the bottom of the crunch is the hardest point. Exhale fully there and hold the squeeze.

Log it in Ægir Iron to track your PRs and estimated 1RM, and to see the sets each muscle gets every week. Free for individual lifters.