Pistol Crunch | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Abs, lower back
Secondary muscles: Core, glutes, hip flexors, quads
Equipment: No equipment

Pistol Crunch Instructions

1. Sit with your legs bent and your hands right outside your hips.
2. Extend your right leg, lift the leg up and then lower it back down.
3. Bring your right knee into your chest, extend the leg and repeat the lift.
4. Complete one set and then repeat with the opposite leg.

Proper Form And Breathing Pattern

Engage your core and, for maximum benefits, keep the movement slow and controlled. Maintain your back straight, keep your neck and head relaxed and breathe out as you bring your knee to your chest.

From the Shop

Exercise Benefits

The pistol crunch engages your core and helps strengthen the abs, lower back, hip flexors, glutes, and quads. Even though this exercise appears to be easy, it’s actually quite effective and is great for sculpting long, lean, and feminine muscles.

Pistol Crunch Demonstration

Sets And Reps

Start with 3 sets of 12 to 16 repetitions on each side and, if you want to keep your heart rate in the “fat-burning zone”, pair the pistol crunch with the single leg side crunch and the skating windmill.

Calories Burned

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the pistol crunch, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

Related Core Exercises

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
V sit bicycles
Reverse crunch twist
T press
Ski abs

Popular Workouts

Core Workouts

Belly Fat Burner Workout

Flatten your abs and blast calories with these 10 moves! A belly fat burner workout to tone up your tummy, strengthen your core, and …

Lower Body Workouts

Brazilian Butt Workout

Want to know the secret to a perfect booty? Try this Brazilian butt workout to shape, lift and firm your booty fast! A 30-minute at-home exercise routine to tone …

Upper Body Workouts

30-Minute Upper Body Workout

Look your best and get your arms, shoulders, back, and chest in tip-top shape with this 30-minute upper body workout. This strength …