- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Reps10 to 25 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Lie on your back with your knees bent at right angles above your hips and your arms by your sides.
First cueCurl the pelvis, do not swing the legs.
How to do the Reverse Crunch
Set up. Lie on your back with your knees bent at right angles above your hips and your arms by your sides.
- Curl your hips up off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest.
- Pause briefly.
- Lower your hips slowly.
Form cues
- Curl the pelvis, do not swing the legs.
- Keep the arms relaxed.
- Lower slowly.
Common mistakes
- Kicking the legs to lift the hips.
- Dropping back down quickly.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Obliques.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Reverse Crunch, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Russian Twist Often left out: it trains the obliques, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Reverse Crunch first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Reverse Crunch 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Russian Twist 3 × 12 to 30 reps
- Crunch 3 × 10 to 30 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Captain’s Chair Knee Raise
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Hanging Leg Raise.
Other variations of the Hanging Leg Raise: Hanging Knee Raise and Captain’s Chair Knee Raise.
Do before it: Dead Bug (bracing), Hollow Hold (same movement, lighter) and Hanging Knee Raise (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Reverse Crunch is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Reverse Crunch?
Set up: Lie on your back with your knees bent at right angles above your hips and your arms by your sides. Steps: 1. Curl your hips up off the floor, bringing your knees toward your chest. 2. Pause briefly. 3. Lower your hips slowly. Form cues: Curl the pelvis, do not swing the legs. Keep the arms relaxed. Lower slowly. Common mistakes: Kicking the legs to lift the hips. Dropping back down quickly.
What muscles does the Reverse Crunch work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the obliques on the way.
What can I do instead of the Reverse Crunch?
In a gym: Captain’s Chair Knee Raise. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Reverse Crunch with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Russian Twist.