Strength Training · Bodybuilding
Stability Ball Crunch
The Stability Ball Crunch trains your abs by curling your upper body while your back rests on a ball, allowing more movement than a floor crunch.
- Beginner
- Isolation
- Low injury risk
- Rest 45 sec
How to do it
- Sit on the ball with your feet flat on the floor.
- Walk your feet forward until your lower and middle back rest on the ball.
- Place your feet slightly wider than hip-width, with your knees bent about 90 degrees.
- Cross your arms over your chest.
- Curl your ribs toward your pelvis until your shoulder blades lift away from the ball.
- Lower your upper body slowly to the starting position.
Form cues
- Keep your hips still.
- Leave space between chin and chest.
- Exhale as you curl up.
Common mistakes
- Turning the crunch into a sit-upUse a short curl rather than bringing your torso upright.
- Rocking the ballKeep pressure through both feet so the ball stays in place throughout the rep.
- Arching too far backwardStop lowering at a comfortable stretch rather than letting your torso hang deeply over the ball.
Safety
A sliding or rolling ball can cause a fall. Forcing the backward stretch or continuing after fatigue changes your form can irritate your lower back.
- Use an intact, properly inflated ball on a nonslip surface.
- Brace the ball against a wall while learning.
- End the set when you can no longer control the lowering phase.
- After your last rep, walk your feet back toward the ball before returning to sitting.
If you have back or neck pain, use a floor crunch only if comfortable, or ask a physiotherapist for guidance.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Equipment
- Stability Ball
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 10–15 reps
- Rest
- 45 sec
Start with your arms crossed; moving your hands beside your head increases the challenge without added weight.