When working on core strength, I recommend performing these four moves until you feel confident enough to perform the reverse crunch without any modifications. There are plenty of exercises that are similar to the reverse crunch. Repeat the steps, remembering to breathe slowly while squeezing your abdominals. Keep the legs at a 90-degree angle throughout the entire movement as you come back down, through tabletop, and tap the feet on the ground. Make sure that only the lowest part of your back comes off the ground nothing higher. Keep your entire upper body on the ground. Keep your calves parallel to the mat so that your legs are in a tabletop position.Įngage your core as you lift your hips and knees toward your chest. With your knees bent, squeeze your abs and raise your legs so that your knees are hovering over your hips at a 90-degree angle. Lie on your back with your arms at your sides.

Remember to take it slow and control your momentum. Keeping your lower body in a controlled movement will help engage your core more effectively.įollow the steps below to perform the reverse crunch. When releasing, don’t allow your knees to move past your hips too fast. Focus on tilting your pelvis forward and crunching just far enough that your tailbone lifts off the ground. When a lot of your back loses contact with the mat, you’ve lifted too far. Take it slow! Make sure each upward movement comes from squeezing the abs instead of momentum from swinging the legs.ĭon’t lift your hips too far off the ground. This is the reason I recommend going slowly when practicing the reverse crunch. This takes away from the effectiveness of the move.Ī lot of my clients also struggle with knowing how far off the ground to raise their hips and legs. I see a lot of my weight-loss clients relying on momentum when performing the reverse crunch instead of engaging the core. In order to reap all the benefits of the reverse crunch, the move must be performed slowly and accurately. The common mistakes people make when doing reverse crunches When performed consistently, reverse crunches can be a great first step toward a stronger core. Leg Lift Photo 10.49 - Pelvic Neutral Photo 10.50 - Straight Leg Crunch Photo 10.51 - Oblique Cross - over - Leg Extended Photo 10.52 - Reverse Crunch with. Whether it be intense physical activity or daily chores, a strong core can help you move more efficiently while maintaining good posture. This move activates the obliques and major abdominal muscles for a strong, toned core region.Ī strong core is essential for balance and stability in daily life. Reverse crunches can help strengthen the core without straining your neck and low back. This gives your neck a rest and makes it less likely you will put undue stress on the back while trying to target the abs. In a reverse crunch, you lift your knees up toward your chest, instead of lifting your shoulders and neck off the floor toward your knees. What are reverse crunches? It's essentially the opposite movement of a standard crunch. This variation on the standard crunch will still work your abs, but reduces the risk of injury. So when I hear people complain of pain, I like to recommend reverse crunches instead.

As a personal trainer, I've seen that when crunches are not performed correctly, they can definitely wreak havoc on the neck and low back. Our machines increase resistance where you’re stronger and decrease resistance where you’re weaker.While they are popular (and can be effective when performed correctly!), research suggests that standard abdominal crunches increase the risk of low-back pain. And the low inertia of our resistance system eliminates shock loading sparing your joints and connective tissues from harmful forces. The A250 Leg Extension reduces resistance where you’re most vulnerable to injury.

Unique versatility five ways to train instead of only one.įully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of users. Industry-leading lifespan and uptime for years of use. Thumb buttons let you change resistance without changing position - even during exercise.įast, easy, and precise eccentric overloading.Ĭhange resistance in increments as small as one pound. Large digital display that shows resistance, sets, repetitions, and peak power. The perfect match to the A250 Leg Curl, the A250 Leg Extension gives you a smooth resistance that protects the body from shock loading.įeatures you won’t find in conventional machinesīilateral movement to train muscle symmetry.Ĭost‑effective way to provide strength training options. An optional range‑limiting device (Model 1122) lets you set the starting and ending points in the range of motion. This Leg Extension features a seat that adjusts forward and back without changing its tilt for maximum comfort. They are responsible for much of our stability and mobility. The quadriceps are one of the most powerful muscle groups we have.

Reverse crunch with leg extension