How to Do a Reverse Crunch

Video Transcript

"Hi, this is Les Whitley. I like to talk to you really quick about how to do a Reverse Crunch. When we talk about toning the abdominal area, there's one big sheet of muscle and then two opposing muscle groups as well with the obliques, as well as the muscles in the center. It's all part of one sheet that really controls the strength of your core, in addition to your lower back. Reverse Crunch will focus on the lower end of that musculature. Reverse Crunch begins by grabbing a spot in the floor, lying on your back. As with any abdominal exercise, focus on flatting out your lower, lower back to maintain nice good neutral spine position. Tilting your pelvis up as that's where that lower part of the abdominal section actually attaches. Use your hands down by your side for stability, bring your feet off the ground, knees up starting at roughly a 90 degree angle, then lift your hips by bringing your knees in toward your chest. The key is lifting your hips off the ground, then lowering it back down, not spending a lot of time with your hips on the ground. The more you keep your hips off the ground, the more you stimulate the lower portion of your abdominal muscles. The Reverse Crunch again to be completed, comes in and out. To increase resistance, move your feet further away from the mid-line of your body. Again, to increase that resistance providing more stimulation for those muscles. As with any other abdominal exercise, let this be part of an overall development routine not only to build strength, but definition for the abdominals in addition to your overall activities and proper nutrition, to achieve the results you desired."