Strength Training · Bodybuilding · Calisthenics
Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch trains your abs by curling your pelvis toward your ribs while your upper body stays on the floor. The movement is a small hip lift, not a leg swing.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Low injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your arms beside you, palms down.
- Raise your legs with your hips and knees bent to about 90 degrees.
- Curl your pelvis toward your ribs until your tailbone lifts slightly off the mat.
- Slowly lower your pelvis to the mat, returning your thighs to vertical.
Form cues
- Exhale as you curl
- Keep your jaw relaxed
- Keep the knee angle steady
Common mistakes
- Swinging the legsPause between repetitions so each curl starts without momentum.
- Only moving the kneesFocus on rolling your waistband toward your chest rather than pulling your thighs closer.
Safety
Letting your lower back arch as you tire can irritate it. Rolling too far up your back can shift pressure toward your neck.
- Keep your head and shoulders supported on the mat throughout the repetition.
- End the set when you can no longer control the lowering phase.
- Avoid extending your legs toward the floor between repetitions.
If you have back or neck pain, use a smaller range or ask a physiotherapist for an appropriate alternative.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Exercise Mat
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–15 reps
- Rest
- 45 sec