Exercise Ball Crunch
How to do the Exercise Ball Crunch with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Abs
,
Exercise Ball
How to do the Exercise Ball Crunch
- 1
Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position).
- 2
Lower your torso into a stretch position keeping the neck stationary at all times. This will be your starting position.
- 3
With the hips stationary, flex the waist by contracting the abdominals and curl the shoulders and trunk upward until you feel a nice contraction on your abdominals. The arms should simply slide up the side of your legs if you have them at the side or just stay on top of your chest if you have them crossed. The lower back should always stay in contact with the ball. Exhale as you perform this movement and hold the contraction for a second.
- 4
As you inhale, go back to the starting position.
- 5
Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Exercise Ball Crunch set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your abs volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.
More abs exercises
Exercise Ball Crunch: common questions
What muscles does the Exercise Ball Crunch work?
The Exercise Ball Crunch primarily works the Abs.
Is the Exercise Ball Crunch suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Exercise Ball Crunch is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Exercise Ball Crunch?
To do the Exercise Ball Crunch you'll need an exercise ball.
Is the Exercise Ball Crunch a compound or isolation exercise?
The Exercise Ball Crunch is an isolation exercise, it targets the abs through a single joint, which makes it useful for focused, targeted work.
How do I do the Exercise Ball Crunch with correct form?
Lie on an exercise ball with your lower back curvature pressed against the spherical surface of the ball. Your feet should be bent at the knee and pressed firmly against the floor. The upper torso should be hanging off the top of the ball. The arms should either be kept alongside the body or crossed on top of your chest as these positions avoid neck strains (as opposed to the hands behind the back of the head position). Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
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