The Reverse Crunch: An Effective Exercise for Strengthening Your Core

You might recognize this exercise from your Pilates or yoga classes but even if it’s familiar, you might not realize just how effective it is at strengthening your core muscles.

Despite its name, the reverse crunch doesn’t actually require any crunching all it requires is that you lay down on your back with your knees bent and lift your legs and torso until they are in line with one another.
As you lower yourself back down to the floor, focus on contracting your core muscles to resist the downward pull of gravity as much as possible.

What is the Reverse Crunch?

Performing the reverse crunch exercise is a great way to strengthen your core.
The reverse crunch (as its name suggests) is the opposite of a traditional sit-up where you bend forward, instead, you bend backward and lift your hips up towards your chest.
It also requires much more coordination than a traditional sit-up because you’re bending from the opposite direction as well as lifting yourself at the same time.

To perform a reverse crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Tighten your abdominal muscles and lift your head, shoulders, and lower back off the floor, bringing your knees as close to your chest as you can while maintaining a neutral spine position.
Stand firm on this footing for 10 seconds prior to letting it down.

Reverse crunch exercises are an effective way to strengthen your core.
The core is the powerhouse of your body, and it’s important to keep it strong in order to maintain balance in everyday life.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re being pulled in two directions by a force on one side, you know how important a strong core can be.

Reverse crunches also help with your posture by strengthening the muscles that support your back and spine.

Don’t hold your breath while doing a reverse crunch as this can lead to dizziness or passing out. Use the following tips to make sure you’re getting the most out of this exercise.
- Start with your back on the ground and your knees bent, then slowly lift your legs up so that your upper body is in an upright position.
- While holding yourself in the upright position, contract your abdominal muscles by lifting them up towards your spine and hold for five seconds.