[ad_1]
By now, you know that the crunch is one of the best exercises that you can add to your daily routine. But if you delve into the variant of the
reverse crunch, you will appreciate other hidden benefits. For example, the reinforcement of your core by adding a plus of resistance that will not hurt you.
While it primarily targets the abdominal muscles, this move also
works the obliques and hip flexors. Regardless of your training goal, the reverse crunch will help you develop a stronger core, increase lower body control, and d
Give your abdomen that stamina boost you need to power through hard lifting sessions.
How to do the reverse crunch
The reverse crunch can be performed anywhere, even from the comfort of your own home. The first thing you should do is
lie on a flat surface with your back on the ground and eyes looking up at the ceiling. She places her arms straight to the sides of her body and places her palms on the floor.
Lift your lower body off the ground and bend your knees so that
the legs form a kind of inverted L. Make sure that when you are in this position, your lower back is flat on the floor. This is the starting position to do the reverse crunch.
then c
Contract the abdominal muscles to bring the knees to the chest while lifting your lower back off the ground. Exhale as you bring your thighs up and toward your chest. Make sure to keep your knee angle constant at 90 degrees throughout the movement. Finally, inhale as you slowly return your lower back to the floor in a controlled manner. Gradually flatten your back up to your tailbone, stopping when you reach your starting position.
Reverse crunches sets and reps
Your core is used to handling a
great amount of work, as it is involved in almost every compound exercise you do. As such, you’ll need to work hard (and with lots of high-quality reps) to stimulate growth and strength. No one said it was easy to have an enviable core.
If what you want is to strengthen muscle mass, try doing
three to four series of between 8 and 20 repetitions. If you want to get stronger, perform three to four sets of 6 to 10 repetitions. You can also add an extra dose of challenge by attaching ankle weights. And if what you want is to work the resistance, do two or three slow series of 15 to 30 repetitions.
Common Reverse Crunch Mistakes
This exercise seems simple, but there are some common mistakes that you should be aware of to get the most out of your work. Your abdominal muscles act as a flexor for your spine. If you don’t lift your back off the floor and end up only dropping your hips, you’re not exercising your abs enough. Consequently, you are only training the hip flexors.
Actively curve your lower back away from the floor to help make this happen.
By allowing your back to roll down instead of letting it return to the ground as a single unit, you will lengthen your abs on the eccentric portion of the exercise, which is important for enhancing muscle growth.
Avoid letting your back slump down to a block. Really focus on coming back to the ground one vertebra at a time, moving slowly and with control.
You also don’t want
bending the knees too far back when you perform the reverse crunch. It’s not good because when you bend your knees back too much, you end up shifting your entire body weight onto your upper back and then onto your neck.
You don’t want to lose control at the top of the lift and risk your neck alignment. Instead, try
maintain a 90 degree angle with the knees at all times during the exercise. This will help protect your neck and keep the emphasis on your torso.
[ad_2]
