Instructions

1

Sit on the floor with hands placed behind you, palms flat on the ground, fingers pointing forward. Keep your legs extended straight in front of you with feet together.

2

Engage your core and prepare to lift your legs. Press through your hands for stability and support as you prepare the upward leg movement.

3

Lower your extended legs back down toward the floor in a controlled manner, maintaining tension in the abdominal muscles throughout the descent without allowing legs to touch the ground completely.

4

Lift both extended legs upward using abdominal and hip flexor strength, bringing them to approximately 45-90 degrees from the floor, then repeat the lowering phase for continuous repetitions.

PRIMARY MUSCLESRectus Abdominis

SECONDARY MUSCLESObliquus Externus, Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris

EQUIPMENTBody weight

DIFFICULTYIntermediate

Overview

If you want to isolate and overload the Rectus Abdominis, the Reverse Plank is an excellent addition to your routine. The mechanics of this Strength exercise specifically bias the Waist, while the use of Body weight allows for a smooth, natural resistance curve.

Benefits

Acts as a highly scalable Strength movement, perfect for both beginners and elite athletes.
Improves overall Waist stability and proprioception during heavy loads.
Utilizes Body weight to create sustained mechanical tension, forcing deep muscle adaptation.
Allows for a natural movement path that closely mimics functional daily activities.
Significantly enhances the structural integrity and power of the Rectus Abdominis.

Common Mistakes

Losing core tension, leading to poor spinal alignment and reduced power output.
Rushing the repetition tempo instead of focusing on the mind-muscle connection with the Waist.
Failing to achieve a full range of motion, which drastically limits Rectus Abdominis engagement.
Using excessive momentum to swing the Body weight rather than controlling the eccentric phase.

Pro Tips

Think about pulling from your elbows rather than your hands to better isolate the Rectus Abdominis and minimize bicep/forearm takeover.

Muscle Anatomy

The primary driver is the Rectus Abdominis. However, the movement also recruits Obliquus Externus, Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris to maintain control of the Body weight.

Beginner Tips

If you are new to the Reverse Plank , focus on mastering the movement pattern with zero weight before adding Body weight.

Reverse Plank