Core · Bodyweight
Sitting Scissors Lift Crunch on a Padded Stool
How to do the sitting scissors lift crunch on a padded stool, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Sit on the edge of a padded stool and lean your torso back slightly, gripping the sides for support. Extend your legs out in front of you and alternate crossing one leg over the other in a scissor motion while crunching your torso toward your thighs. Keep your abs braced throughout each rep.
- 1Lower abs working hard to hold your legs up
- 2A tight crunch as your torso curls toward your knees
- 3Constant tension on your core, never fully relaxing
Common mistakes
- Letting your feet touch the floor between reps
- Pulling with your hip flexors instead of your abs
- Holding your breath; exhale as you crunch
Muscles worked
The sitting scissors lift crunch on a padded stool mainly works the lower abs, with the upper abs, obliques, and hip flexors assisting.
- Lower AbsPrimary
- Upper AbsSupport
- ObliquesSupport
- Hip FlexorsSupport
- QuadsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the sitting scissors lift crunch on a padded stool 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.