The reverse crunch flips the crunch: your shoulders stay down and your pelvis lifts off the floor and curls toward your chest.
1Starting positionStart2End positionFinish
Setup
Lie on your back, arms by your sides or holding a bench behind your head. Bend your legs, knees over your hips, shins parallel to the floor. Keep your lower back on the floor.
Execution
Lie on your back, arms along your body palms down, thighs vertical and shins parallel to the floor.
Exhale and pull your knees toward your chest, rolling your pelvis up off the floor.
Hold for a second, then inhale and lower your hips back down slowly. No help from your arms.
Common mistakes
Flinging your legs up — the pelvis lifts with your abs, slowly.
Only moving your legs while the pelvis stays down — the point is to lift your tailbone off the floor.
Lowering your legs so far your lower back lifts — stay in the range where it's pressed down.
Pushing with your hands — they're only there for balance.
Alternatives
Equipment taken or the movement doesn't suit you — try Hanging Leg Raise, Hanging Knee Raise, Lying Leg Raise. All 8 substitutes and what changes →
Not sure about your form? Send me a video of a set — I'll take a look and tell you what to fix first.
