How to do the Reverse Crunch M
CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate
The reverse crunch is one of the most effective bodyweight movements for targeting the lower portion of the rectus abdominis, demanding genuine core control rather than momentum. Master this pattern and you build the foundational strength that carries over to every compound lift you perform.
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Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back
Step-by-step
- Lie flat on your back with arms pressed firmly into the floor at your sides and knees bent at 90 degrees with feet lifted.
- Exhale and contract your abs to curl your hips off the floor, drawing your knees toward your chest in a controlled arc.
- Pause at the top for one count, ensuring your lower back rounds slightly upward rather than your legs simply swinging.
- Inhale and slowly lower your hips back to the start, resisting gravity the entire way down without letting your feet touch the floor.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum by swinging the legs rather than initiating with the abs — slow the tempo to a 3-second descent to force genuine muscle engagement.
- Letting the lower back arch and slam down on the return phase — keep tension through the entire range and maintain contact through a controlled lowering.
- Pulling with the hip flexors instead of the abs by keeping the legs too straight — maintain the 90-degree knee bend throughout to shift the load onto the rectus abdominis.
Pro tip — At the top of each rep, think about tilting your pelvis toward your ribcage rather than just lifting your hips — this posterior pelvic tilt maximizes ab contraction and eliminates the hip flexor dominance that robs most lifters of real results.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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