Reverse Crunch
- Músculo objetivo
- Rectus Abdominis
- Músculos sinergistas
- Obliques
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Waist
- Tipo
- Strength
The reverse crunch is a bodyweight core exercise that targets the rectus abdominis, with the obliques stabilizing the pelvis. Lying on your back, you curl the pelvis off the floor to bring the knees toward the chest, which biases the lower fibers of the abs more than a standard crunch does. It is a low-impact way to build midsection strength at the end of a session.
Cómo hacer el Reverse Crunch
- 1Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms at your sides, palms pressed down for support.
- 2Lift your legs so your hips are bent to 90° and your knees are also bent at 90°, shins parallel to the floor.
- 3Brace your core and press your lower back firmly into the mat so the lumbar spine stays flat throughout the set.
- 4Exhale and curl your pelvis up and off the floor, drawing your knees toward your chest — think of shortening the distance between your belly button and your knees.
- 5Continue until your hips are lifted and your tailbone points toward the ceiling, then pause for a second and squeeze the abs.
- 6Inhale and slowly reverse the movement, lowering your hips back to the mat with control rather than dropping them.
- 7Stop as soon as your hips touch down, before your lower back can arch, and begin the next rep with the abs still under tension.
- 8Complete all reps, then lower your feet to the floor and relax.
Consejos de técnica
- Initiate every rep from the abs, not the legs — think of pulling your pelvis toward your ribcage rather than swinging your knees upward.
- Keep the movement small and deliberate; a few inches of pelvic curl with full ab engagement beats a large, momentum-driven swing.
- Press your palms or fingertips into the floor to anchor your upper body and keep your torso from rocking.
- Exhale fully at the top of each rep — emptying the lungs lets the ribcage drop and deepens the abdominal contraction.
- Lower in roughly twice the time it takes to curl up; a slow eccentric keeps tension on the rectus abdominis where the movement is hardest.
Errores comunes
- Swinging the legs to build momentum instead of curling the pelvis — this hands the work to the hip flexors and strips the stimulus from the abs.
- Letting the lower back arch off the mat at the bottom of the rep, which loses core bracing and loads the lumbar spine in extension.
- Pulling with the neck or shrugging the shoulders up during the curl, which strains the cervical spine and signals the abs are not driving the rep.
- Resting the feet on the floor between reps, which releases abdominal tension and turns each rep into a fresh momentum swing rather than a controlled contraction.
- Letting the knees drift open toward straight as fatigue sets in, which lengthens the lever, pulls the hips into flexion, and shifts the effort back to the hip flexors.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the reverse crunch work?
The reverse crunch targets the rectus abdominis, especially its lower fibers, with the obliques working as synergists to stabilize and control the pelvis throughout the movement.
What is the difference between a reverse crunch and a regular crunch?
A regular crunch moves the shoulders toward the hips, emphasizing the upper portion of the rectus abdominis. The reverse crunch moves the hips toward the shoulders by curling the pelvis up, placing more demand on the lower fibers of the same muscle.
Is the reverse crunch good for beginners?
Yes. It needs only body weight and a mat, keeps the spine supported on the floor, and is easier to learn than hanging or straight-leg variations that demand more hip-flexor and grip strength.
Where should I feel the reverse crunch?
You should feel it in the abdominal wall below the belly button, with the obliques working to keep the pelvis square. If you mostly feel it at the front of your hips, you are swinging the legs instead of curling the pelvis — cut the range and start the rep from the abs.
How many sets and reps should I do for the reverse crunch?
Three sets of 12–20 controlled reps suits most lifters, trained 2–4 times per week rather than daily so the abs can recover. Prioritize a slow eccentric and a deliberate pelvic curl over chasing high rep counts.
