10 Best Suspended Reverse Crunch Alternatives for Home Workouts

Ranked Suspended Reverse Crunch Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Suspended 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. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Pull-in (On Stability Ball)

   77% match

   • Abs
   • Stability-ball
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   A good swap when you have a stability ball to work with, and it still works the abs.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start by sitting on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
   2. Place your hands on the sides of the stability ball for support.
   3. Engage your abs and slowly roll your hips forward, bringing your knees towards your chest.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly extend your legs back 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 Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: lying face down, not hanging
2. 

   Progression

   2. Gorilla Chin/crunch

   80% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the abs.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a chin-up bar using an underhand grip (palms facing you) that is slightly wider than shoulder width.
   2. Now bend your knees at a 90 degree angle so that the calves are parallel to the floor while the thighs remain perpendicular to it. This will be your starting position.
   3. As you exhale, pull yourself up while crunching your knees up at the same time until your knees are at chest level. You will stop going up as soon as your nose is at the same level as the bar. Tip: When you get to this point you should also be finishing the crunch at the same time.
   4. Slowly start to inhale as you return to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Suspended Reverse Crunch
3. 

   3. Knee/hip Raise On Parallel Bars

   77% match

   • Abs
   • Other
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Position your body on the vertical leg raise bench so that your forearms are resting on the pads next to the torso and holding on to the handles. Your arms will be bent at a 90 degree angle.
   2. The torso should be straight with the lower back pressed against the pad of the machine and the legs extended pointing towards the floor. This will be your starting position.
   3. Now as you breathe out, lift your legs up as you keep them extended. Continue this movement until your legs are roughly parallel to the floor and then hold the contraction for a second. Tip: Do not use any momentum or swinging as you perform this exercise.
   4. Slowly go back to the starting position as you breathe in.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Suspended Reverse Crunch
4. Play demonstration

   4. Butt-ups

   76% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want to work the abs with less balance to manage.

   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 Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: lying on your back, not hanging
5. Play demonstration

   Progression

   5. Tuck Crunch

   76% 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 Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: lying on your back, not hanging
6. Play demonstration

   Progression

   6. Vertical Leg Raise (On Parallel Bars)

   76% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from the parallel bars with your arms fully extended and your body straight.
   2. Engage your core and lift your legs up in front of you, keeping them straight.
   3. Continue lifting until your legs are parallel to the ground or slightly higher.
   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 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
7. Play demonstration

   Progression

   7. Suspended Abdominal Fallout

   76% match

   • Abs
   • Bodyweight
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Attach a suspension trainer to a high anchor point and adjust the straps to waist height.
   2. Stand facing away from the anchor point and hold the handles with your arms extended in front of you.
   3. Lean forward at the waist, keeping your body straight and your core engaged.
   4. Lower your body as far as you can while maintaining control and tension in your abs.
   5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly raise your body back up to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: a suspension trainer, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Body position: kneeling, not hanging
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Suspended Reverse Crunch
8. 

   Progression

   8. Bent-knee Hip Raise

   76% 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 Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: lying on your back, not hanging
   • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Suspended Reverse Crunch
9. Play demonstration

   9. Assisted Hanging Knee Raise

   75% match

   • Abs
   • Machine
   • Beginner
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hang from a pull-up bar with your arms fully extended and your palms facing away from you.
   2. Engage your core muscles and lift your knees towards your chest, bending at the hips and knees.
   3. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, squeezing your abs.
   4. Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
   • Equipment: a machine, not a suspension trainer
   • Body position: hanging, the same as the Suspended Reverse Crunch
10. 

    10. Decline Reverse Crunch

    75% 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 Suspended Reverse Crunch
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a suspension trainer
    • Body position: lying on your back, not hanging