10 Best Cable Reverse Crunch Alternatives for When You Lack a Cable

Ranked Cable Reverse Crunch Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Cable Reverse Crunch on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Butt-ups

   85% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands by your sides, palms facing down.
   3. Engaging your abs, lift your legs off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest.
   4. At the top of the movement, squeeze your abs and pause for a moment.
   5. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
2. Play demonstration

   2. Tuck Crunch

   85% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, lift your shoulder blades off the ground and bring your knees towards your chest, simultaneously curling your upper body towards your knees.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your shoulder blades and extend your legs back to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
3. 

   3. Bent-knee Hip Raise

   84% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lay flat on the floor with your arms next to your sides.
   2. Now bend your knees at around a 75 degree angle and lift your feet off the floor by around 2 inches.
   3. Using your lower abs, bring your knees in towards you as you maintain the 75 degree angle bend in your legs. Continue this movement until you raise your hips off of the floor by rolling your pelvis backward. Breathe out as you perform this portion of the movement. Tip: At the end of the movement your knees will be over your chest.
   4. Squeeze your abs at the top of the movement for a second and then return to the starting position slowly as you breathe in. Tip: Maintain a controlled motion at all times.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Cable Reverse Crunch
4. 

   4. Decline Reverse Crunch

   83% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on your back on a decline bench and hold on to the top of the bench with both hands. Don't let your body slip down from this position.
   2. Hold your legs parallel to the floor using your abs to hold them there while keeping your knees and feet together. Tip: Your legs should be fully extended with a slight bend on the knee. This will be your starting position.
   3. While exhaling, move your legs towards the torso as you roll your pelvis backwards and you raise your hips off the bench. At the end of this movement your knees will be touching your chest.
   4. Hold the contraction for a second and move your legs back to the starting position while inhaling.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
5. Play demonstration

   5. Negative Crunch

   81% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
6. Play demonstration

   6. Sit-up

   80% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
   2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
   3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
7. 

   7. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

   80% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on an exercise mat or a flat bench with your legs off the end.
   2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench (or with palms down by the side on an exercise mat). Also extend your legs straight out. This will be your starting position.
   3. Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue this movement until your knees are near your chest. Hold the contracted position for a second.
   4. As you breathe in, slowly return to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
8. Play demonstration

   8. Reverse Crunch

   80% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended along your sides.
   2. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
   3. Contract your abs and curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees towards your chest.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
9. Play demonstration

   9. Lying Leg-hip Raise

   79% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
   2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
   3. Engage your core and lift your legs off the ground, raising them towards the ceiling.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
10. 

    10. Scissor Kick

    77% match

    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    How to perform this exercise

    1. To begin, lie down with your back pressed against the floor or on an exercise mat (optional). Your arms should be fully extended to the sides with your palms facing down. Note: The arms should be stationary the entire time.
    2. With a slight bend at the knees, lift your legs up so that your heels are about 6 inches off the ground. This is the starting position.
    3. Now lift your left leg up to about a 45 degree angle while your right leg is lowered until the heel is about 2-3 inches from the ground.
    4. Switch movements by raising your right leg up and lowering your left leg. Remember to breathe while performing this exercise.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a cable
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Cable Reverse Crunch
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Cable Reverse Crunch