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Exercise 0138 · REF CI6baTY

Bottoms-Up exercise animation

Bottoms-Up

Category
Waist
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Abs

The bottoms-up is a reverse-crunch-style movement where the hips lift off the floor rather than the shoulders curling up, putting more emphasis on the lower abs and hip flexors working together with the obliques for stability. It's a common progression once basic crunches feel too easy, since controlling the hips through a full lift and lower is harder than it looks. Momentum from swinging the legs is the main way people cheat the rep — a slow lower is where the real work happens.

How to Do the Bottoms-Up

  1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
  2. Bend your knees and bring them towards your chest, keeping your feet off the ground.
  3. Engaging your abs, lift your hips off the ground, bringing your knees towards your head.
  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.

Muscles Worked

The Bottoms-Up primarily targets the Abs, with Obliques as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Hip Flexors.

More Waist Exercises

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More Abs Exercises

Arms Overhead Full Sit-Up (male) Arms Overhead Full Sit-Up (male) Body Weight · Abs Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Assisted · Abs Assisted Hanging Knee Raise With Throw Down Assisted Hanging Knee Raise With Throw Down Assisted · Abs Assisted Lying Leg Raise With Lateral Throw Down Assisted Lying Leg Raise With Lateral Throw Down Assisted · Abs Assisted Lying Leg Raise With Throw Down Assisted Lying Leg Raise With Throw Down Assisted · Abs Assisted Motion Russian Twist Assisted Motion Russian Twist Medicine Ball · Abs

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same abs with different equipment.

Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Assisted Hanging Knee Raise Assisted · Abs Assisted Motion Russian Twist Assisted Motion Russian Twist Medicine Ball · Abs Band Alternating V-Up Band Alternating V-Up Band · Abs Barbell Press Sit-Up Barbell Press Sit-Up Barbell · Abs

FAQ

What muscles does the Bottoms-Up work?
The Bottoms-Up primarily targets the abs, with the obliques and hip flexors assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Bottoms-Up?
The Bottoms-Up is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Bottoms-Up?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Assisted Hanging Knee Raise targets the same abs using assisted instead.