Exercise Ball Crunch
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.
How to program the Exercise Ball Crunch
Sets and reps
As an isolation movement, the Exercise Ball Crunch is best trained with moderate loads and higher reps: 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds of rest. Chasing heavy weight on isolation work usually degrades form before it builds muscle — prioritize a full range of motion and a controlled negative. Program it after your compound lifts.
Progression
The Exercise Ball Crunch is beginner-friendly. Start with a load (or rep count) you can complete with clean form on every set, then add a small amount of weight or 1–2 reps each week. When you hit the top of your rep range on all sets, increase the load and drop back to the bottom of the range — simple double progression.
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Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Exercise Ball Crunch work?
The Exercise Ball Crunch primarily targets the Abdominals.
What equipment do I need for the Exercise Ball Crunch?
You need Exercise Ball. Difficulty level: Beginner.
How many sets and reps of the Exercise Ball Crunch should I do?
Do 2–4 sets of 10–15 reps with 60–90 seconds rest, focusing on a full range of motion and controlled tempo rather than maximum load.
