Reverse Crunch

How to Perform the Reverse Crunch

Lie on your back on a flat surface with your arms at your sides or hands placed under your lower back for support.
Lift your legs so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your knees are bent at 90 degrees.
Contract your lower abs to curl your hips and lower back off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest.
Focus on rolling the pelvis upward rather than simply pulling the knees toward you.
Lift until your hips are fully off the floor and your knees are close to your chest.
Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position with control, resisting gravity.
Keep your upper back and shoulders pressed to the floor throughout the movement.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Using momentum to swing the legs

Perform the movement slowly and with control, using only your abs to curl the hips off the ground.

Simply pulling the knees to the chest without lifting the hips

Focus on rolling the pelvis upward; if your hips don't leave the ground, you are not performing the exercise correctly.

Flattening the lower back by pressing too hard

Allow a natural spinal curve but focus the effort on the abdominals curling the pelvis, not on pressing the back into the floor.

✓Effectively targets the lower portion of the rectus abdominis with minimal neck strain.
✓Safer for the spine than many ab exercises because the lower back stays supported.
✓Requires no equipment and can be performed anywhere.

●Place your hands flat on the floor beside you or grip a sturdy object behind your head for stability.
●Exhale forcefully as you curl your hips up to maximize abdominal contraction.
●To increase difficulty, perform the movement on a decline bench or add an ankle weight.

Strength

4-5 sets of 3-5 reps at bodyweight

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 12-15 reps at bodyweight

Endurance

2-3 sets of 20-30 reps at bodyweight

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