ABDOMINALS · BODYWEIGHT

How to do the reverse crunch

The reverse crunch trains your abdominals. Here is how to do it with good form.

Person doing the reverse crunch
Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Melody Howley, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized.

Step by step

  1. Lie on the floor, place your arms at your sides, and have your hands flat.
  2. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle and position them directly over your hips.
  3. Take a breath, engage your abs, and bring your knees to your upper torso in one fluid motion, lifting your buttocks off the floor. Exhale.
  4. Slowly bring your knees to the starting position and breathe in.

Muscles worked

PrimaryAbdominals
EquipmentBodyweight

Sets and reps

Beginner3 sets of as many clean reps as you can, stopping 2 reps short of failure
Muscle growth3–4 sets of 8–15 reps; add a pause or extra load when 15 gets easy
Conditioning2–4 rounds of 30–45 s work, 15–30 s rest

Pick the row that matches your goal. Add weight or reps once every set feels controlled, and log each set so you can see the trend.

Programs that use the reverse crunch

Track your progress

Repto shows what you lifted on your last session for every set, suggests your next weight, and starts the rest timer when you tick the set. Your estimated 1-rep max and volume for each exercise are charted over time.

Alternatives for your abdominals

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