Core · Bodyweight
Lying Side Reverse Crunch
How to do the lying side reverse crunch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
- Movement
- Flexion
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your side with your knees bent and stacked, hips and shoulders aligned. Curl your knees up toward your chest by contracting your lower abs and obliques, then lower under control. Finish all reps on one side before switching.
- 1Lower abs and obliques curling the knees in
- 2A controlled contraction without momentum
- 3Hips and shoulders staying stacked through the rep
Common mistakes
- Swinging the legs to throw them up
- Rolling the hips backward or forward
- Pulling with the hip flexors instead of the core
Muscles worked
The lying side reverse crunch mainly works the upper abs, lower abs, and obliques.
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- ObliquesPrimary
- QuadsMinor
- Hip FlexorsMinor
Kovo programs the lying side reverse crunch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed June 2026.