Weighted Crunches
How to do the Weighted Crunches with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Abs
,
Medicine Ball
How to do the Weighted Crunches
- 1
Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle.
- 2
Hold a weight to your chest, or you may hold it extended above your torso. This will be your starting position.
- 3
Now, exhale and slowly begin to roll your shoulders off the floor. Your shoulders should come up off the floor about 4 inches while your lower back remains on the floor.
- 4
At the top of the movement, flex your abdominals and hold for a brief pause.
- 5
Then inhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Weighted Crunches 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
Weighted Crunches: common questions
What muscles does the Weighted Crunches work?
The Weighted Crunches primarily works the Abs.
Is the Weighted Crunches suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Weighted Crunches 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 Weighted Crunches?
To do the Weighted Crunches you'll need a medicine ball.
Is the Weighted Crunches a compound or isolation exercise?
The Weighted Crunches 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 Weighted Crunches with correct form?
Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
Log your Weighted Crunches sets, free.
Waitlist members get TestFlight + Play Store internal-track invites and a founder badge on their profile.
The app is free. Club adds the coach, leagues and analytics.
Core tracking stays free forever, the climb, streaks, logging and your league tiers. Club is for when you want the full coach, worldwide competition and the depth, at about the price of one coffee a month.
14-day free trial · no card to start
| Free | Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking, the climb and streaks | ||
| Per-set logging, PR detection, wearables | ||
| Muscle-league tiers | ||
| The AI coach | nudges | Full conversation |
| Worldwide leagues and challenges | , | |
| PR projections and deep analytics | , | |
| Unlimited crews | , | |
| Themes, export and higher AI limits | , |