How to do the Reverse Crunch
- Lie on your back, knees bent, arms at your sides.
- Lift your feet, keeping knees bent, shins parallel to the floor.
- Curl your pelvis off the floor, drawing your knees toward your chest.
- Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
Full technique — 7 steps
- Lie on your back with arms by your sides and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees.
- Lift your feet so your hips and knees stay bent, with shins hovering parallel to the floor.
- Press your lower back into the floor and tighten your stomach before each rep.
- Curl your pelvis off the floor by drawing your knees toward your chest.
- Lift only until your tailbone leaves the ground without swinging your legs overhead.
- Lower your hips back down slowly until your pelvis returns to the floor.
- Reset with knees still elevated and repeat without letting your lower back arch.
Common mistakes
- Swinging knees for momentum
- Kicking legs overhead
- Letting lower back arch
- Only moving at the hips
Form cues
- Curl pelvis, not legs
- Keep shins quiet
- Exhale on the curl
- Arms press into floor
Substitutes by equipment
Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.
Cable machine
- Cable Crunch Same level
Machine
- Seated Ab Machine Easier
Medicine ball
- Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch Easier
- Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch Same level
Dumbbells
- Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up Harder
- Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch Easier
Where to start and where to go next
Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.
- Easier Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch
- Easier Bench Knee Tuck
- This exercise Reverse Crunch
- Harder Decline Sit-Up
- Harder Ab Wheel Rollout
Too hard for now? Start with the Bench Knee Tuck.
In ready-made workouts
- Beginner full-body workout C45 min · Gym
- Dumbbell leg workout40 min · Home, dumbbells
- No-equipment workout25 min · No equipment
Quick answers
What muscles does the Reverse Crunch work?
Primary: Abs 10/10.
When should I do the Reverse Crunch in a workout?
Finisher. Goes last, once the heavy work is done. ≈ 5 min with rest.
How many sets and reps of the Reverse Crunch?
Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 10–15 reps, rest 1 min, 2–3 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps, rest 45 s, 3–4 reps in reserve.
What can I do instead of the Reverse Crunch?
Cable machine: Cable Crunch. Machine: Seated Ab Machine. Medicine ball: Medicine Ball Straight Arm Crunch, Medicine Ball Toe Touch Crunch. Dumbbells: Dumbbell Decline Sit-Up, Dumbbell Straight Arm Crunch.
What is an easier version of the Reverse Crunch?
Bench Knee Tuck (20% of bodyweight), Ab Wheel Straight Arm Crunch (15% of bodyweight).
What is a harder version of the Reverse Crunch?
Decline Sit-Up (35% of bodyweight), Ab Wheel Rollout (80% of bodyweight).
