Curl-ups (or crunches) are a measure of abdominal fitness. It’s important to keep your abdominal muscles strong so you can maintain good posture and prevent back strain, injury, and pain.
If you did the curl-up test, you can compare your results with the recommended results shown as “Good” to “Excellent” for abdominal strength and endurance. The test norms assume you did the test continuously (not stopping to rest). The maximum number of curl-ups recorded is 75.
The norms also assume using good form. The proper way to do curl-ups is as follows:
- Lie on a mat with the knees bent at 90 degrees
- Hands are on thighs
- Curl up, lifting shoulders off ground and sliding hands forward until they cover the knee caps
- This is only a partial curl-up, so the trunk should be raised off the mat only 30 degrees
If your curl-up score is low, it most likely means you haven’t been doing exercises to keep the abdominal muscles strong and healthy. Use your current test results as a benchmark. Then, begin doing abdominal exercises regularly, 2-3 times per week. It is surprising how quickly you can begin to show improvement when you exercise regularly.Age- and gender-specific norms are shown below.
Curl-Up Norms for Men (number in 1-minute)
Gender/Age
Fitness Rating
|
Men
20-29
|
30-39
|
40-49
|
50-59
|
60-69
|
|
Excellent
|
56-75
|
69-75
|
75
|
60-74
|
33-53
|
|
Good
|
31-55
|
36-68
|
51-74
|
35-59
|
19-32
|
|
Average/Fair
|
24-30
|
26-35
|
31-50
|
23-34
|
9-18
|
|
Low
|
13-23
|
13-25
|
21-30
|
13-22
|
1-8
|
|
High risk
|
<13
|
<13
|
<21
|
<13
|
0
|
Curl-Up Norms for Women (number in 1-minute)
Gender/Age
Fitness Rating
|
Women
20-29
|
30-39
|
40-49
|
50-59
|
60-69
|
|
Excellent
|
45-70
|
43-55
|
42-50
|
30-48
|
30-50
|
|
Good
|
32-44
|
28-42
|
28-41
|
16-29
|
19-29
|
|
Average/Fair
|
21-31
|
15-27
|
20-27
|
2-15
|
9-18
|
|
Low
|
12-20
|
1-14
|
5-19
|
1
|
1-8
|
|
High risk
|
<12
|
0
|
<5
|
0
|
0
|
|
