How to do a Reverse Crunch

How to Do a Reverse Crunch

Lay face up on the mat with your arms at your sides. They can be closer to your body or extended comfortably for balance.

1. Bend your legs at the knee and brace your abs to slowly raise your legs so the knees are directly over your hips and your lower legs are parallel to the floor (bent 90 degrees). This is the starting position. Brace the abdominal muscles and hold a neutral spine position with a slight natural curve in the lower back (lumbar) region, yet with the back firmly against the floor.
2. Contract the abs as you exhale to curl your hips and knees toward your chest, with only your hips coming off the mat as you curl. Your knees should remain at the same angle throughout this upward phase. Your head should be kept straight, and the neck and shoulders should remain relaxed and on the mat. Hold when you cannot curl without your back coming off the mat.
3. Return slowly to the starting position as you inhale, with your hips back on the mat, and your knees over your hips still bent 90 degrees.
4. Perform 10 repetitions for three sets and increase the number of repetitions as you get stronger.

Benefits of Reverse Crunch

You may enjoy reverse crunches if you experience neck discomfort during traditional crunches or sit-ups. This exercise will activate your core abdominal muscles, including the external obliques on both sides of your abdomen.

A strong core is the basis for improving your athletic performance and maintaining balance, stability and good posture in everyday life. Strengthening your abdominal muscles will prepare you for vigorous sports and dynamic work around the house, like gardening, where bending, twisting and reaching are paramount.

Core strengthening is also important for hip health. There is also evidence that improving core strength improves low back pain in athletes and non-athletes.

It’s good to include a variety of ab exercises in your routine so your core muscles are challenged in slightly different ways. You can also include diagonal crunches, doggies, bicycle crunches, V-sits, and planks to work different areas of your abdomen.

Other variations of Reverse Crunch

There are many ways to do crunches. Beginners can change to a form that they can perform with good form as they develop strength. As you progress, you can add difficulty.

Reduced range of motion

If you don’t have the abdominal strength to roll up without momentum or control returning to the starting position, try a shorter range of motion.4 During the upward phase, only go as far as you can have control. At first, this may just be a small movement that doesn’t cause your tailbone to rise off the floor.

Working with a complete reverse crisis

You can also build the necessary strength by doing toe taps. Lower one leg with pointed toes from the starting position until it touches the ground. Return that leg to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Keep your lower back, hips, and tailbone on the mat throughout this exercise. Aim to touch 15 to 20 toes on each side.

Add more challenges

Compound or full crunches integrate the movements of the shoulders and legs/hips in one exercise. It can be performed from the starting position with the legs in the air, bent 90 degrees, or with the knees bent and feet flat on the ground. This powerful, advanced exercise works the rectus abdominis and external obliques, the muscles on either side of the abdomen.1 Once you can do three sets of 15 crunches, you know your muscles. My abs (and hip flexors) are in good shape.

Common mistake

Avoid these mistakes to get the most out of this exercise while avoiding stress and possible injury.

Use momentum

It’s tempting to do a quick reverse crunch and use the momentum to curl up instead of contracting your abs. Avoid this by doing it slowly and in a controlled manner. If you can’t pull your legs toward your chest without using momentum, you’ll need to strengthen your abs further with other ab exercises.

Roll too far

Only your tailbone and hips should be lifted off the mat during the upward phase. Stop when you lose contact with more of your back. If you do reverse crunches slowly, you’re less likely to go too far than if you’re using momentum and doing it with a faster motion.

Unsubscribe too far

When returning down, make sure you don’t roll too far and that your knees are in front of your hips. If you’re going slow, you can stop, but if you don’t have the strength to go slow, you can relax your body instead. This is a sign that you need to strengthen your abdominal muscles more before you can do reverse crunches with good form.

Safety and prevention

If you have a back or neck injury or condition, talk to your healthcare provider about whether this exercise is appropriate. You may feel tension and even burning in your abs during this exercise, but there shouldn’t be any sharp pain. If you feel pain in your abdomen, back or neck, slowly return to a comfortable position and finish the exercise. This exercise should be avoided during pregnancy.

You can see more Exercises Drawings:

• How to Do an Abdominal Crunch || Abdominal Crunch

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• Pilates Mat – PILATES WORKOUT