The reverse crunch exercise is one of the best exercises to tone your ab muscles. Unlike the regular crunch exercise, which is not that effective and can cause back pain, this exercise is really effective and can cause your muscles to feel the strain. It will not cause any back pain and could be done at home or any place where there is a little bit of space and something soft to lie on. It works on the entire abdominal muscle group: upper, lower and obliques alike. This exercise is a must in anyone’s routine, who would like to tone that pooch.
How to Perform the Reverse Crunch –
First, lie down on the floor on a comfortable mattress or rubber. Bend both knees as you would do for a regular sit-up and place both hands near the hips. Let the arms rest stretched out on the floor. Your head should be placed on the floor, and the back should be touching the floor, full-length.
Now raise both your legs, which are bent, upwards. The hips should be perpendicular to the ground during this posture. The feet can be placed, held a bit above the knee position. Keep both the ankles close to each other, or cross the ankles if needed. While exhaling and clenching your abs, bring both of the knees towards the chest. Remember to bring both knees together towards your chest. Your lower back will be naturally lifted in this position, and it should not be a problem for the effectiveness of this exercise. You should make sure that your abdominal muscles are only working here. Don’t clench your hips as this mainly is an abdominal exercise and you need to keep most of the pressure on the ab muscles.
The movements should be fluid but not too fast. There is no need to actually touch your chest with the knees. Just bring the knees as close to the chest as you can. Once you have brought the knees towards the chest, return them back to the original position. This should be done slowly and with full control. Your ab muscle group will be working here to make the most out of this return position. You can do as many reps as possible. It will mainly depend on your fitness and strength. If you are having back pains or any other health condition, it is always better to consult your physician before starting a Reverse Crunch Exercise regimen. You doctor will check all your physical conditions and advise if the reverse crunch is the best exercise for your abs.
Once you have completed a certain amount of reps of the reverse crunch, your abdominal muscles will feel the strain. This is a good indication that the exercises are working quite effectively. Both men and women can benefit from this exercise regimen. If you want to make this exercise harder, you can use ankle weights. All in all, this is the best exercise for your abs.
