Core · Bodyweight
Groin Crunch
How to do the groin crunch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and knees dropped out to the sides in a butterfly position. Place your hands behind your head and crunch your upper body up, squeezing your abs at the top, then lower back down under control. The open-leg position takes your hip flexors out of the movement.
- 1Feel a strong contraction through your abs at the top of each crunch
- 2Keep your knees relaxed out to the sides so your abs do the work
- 3Curl from your ribs toward your hips rather than pulling your neck
Common mistakes
- Don't pull on your head or neck with your hands
- Avoid using momentum; keep each rep smooth and controlled
- Don't let your lower back arch up off the floor
Muscles worked
The groin crunch mainly works the upper abs and lower abs, with the obliques assisting.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesSupport
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the groin crunch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.