If basic abdominal crunches are too easy for you, here’s a more advanced version that will literally turn your world upside down — it’s called the hanging bat crunch. And yes, it’s as challenging as it sounds!

Watch the Demo

Here’s a demonstration from my 60-year-old client, John. Pay close attention to how he gets up to the chin-up bar and, more importantly, how he gets down afterward. Believe it or not, that’s the hardest part for most people!

See how smooth and effortless he made it look — both getting into position and exiting safely. Having a power cage definitely helps with that.

If you don’t have access to a power cage, you can assist yourself in a couple of ways:

• Use yoga straps suspended from the chin-up bar on either side to pull yourself up and control your descent.
• Or simply pull on your thighs to help get into position.

How to Perform the Hanging Bat Crunch

→ Start with your arms crossed over your chest for a moderate number of reps.

→ Once that becomes easy, progress to placing your fingers behind your ears with your elbows flared out, as shown in the video.

→ The final progression is to add resistance by holding a dumbbell against your chest.

Pro Tip

Perform the hanging bat crunch toward the end of your workout. It makes an excellent finisher — not only does it target the abdominals, but it also provides traction to the lower limbs and spine after all the heavy lifting.