Straight Leg Reverse Crunch

HOW TO DO IT

1. 1Lie flat on your back on a mat with arms resting at your sides, palms down.
2. 2Press your lower back gently into the floor and brace your abs.
3. 3Lift both legs off the floor, keeping them straight and together, until they point up at roughly 70 to 90 degrees.
4. 4Exhale and curl your pelvis toward your ribcage, rolling your hips off the floor and lifting your straight legs toward the ceiling.
5. 5Pause briefly at the top, keeping the legs straight and the knees soft but not bent.
6. 6Lower your hips and legs back down with control until your hips touch the floor and your legs return to the starting angle, without letting your feet rest.

COMMON MISTAKES

• Using momentum to swing the straight legs up instead of contracting the abs.
• Arching the lower back as the legs lower, which shifts work to the spine.
• Pushing down with the hands or elbows to generate lift.
• Failing to lift the hips off the floor, turning it into a leg raise.
• Bending the knees mid-rep to cheat the lever length.
• Letting the feet drop and rest between reps, losing tension.

TIPS

• Initiate by tilting the pelvis and curling the tailbone up, not by swinging the legs.
• Keep the legs straight but not locked; a slight knee bend is acceptable if hamstrings are tight.
• Exhale sharply as the hips lift, and keep the head and shoulders pressed into the floor.
• Lower slowly, taking two to three seconds, and stop before the lower back arches.

SAFETY

• People with low back pain, disc issues, or very tight hamstrings should build up gradually or keep a slight knee bend; the long lever can strain the lumbar spine if the abs fatigue and the back arches.

DETAILS

Muscles

Abdominals

Equipment

Bodyweight

Type

Strength Training

Difficulty

Intermediate

Tracked as

Reps only

TECHNIQUE

Legs straight or bent

Straight legs