Medicine Ball Crunch
Description
The medicine ball crunch is a loaded crunch variation where you hold a medicine ball at your chest or overhead during a standard floor crunch. It provides progressive overload beyond bodyweight crunches. Holding the ball overhead creates more demand than at the chest.
Equipment Required
Medicine Ball Crunch Instructions
- Lie flat on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a medicine ball at your chest (easier) or extended overhead (harder).
- Brace your core. Press your lower back into the floor.
- Curl your torso up, lifting your shoulders off the floor.
- Squeeze your abs hard at the top.
- Lower under control. Stop just before your shoulders touch the floor.
- Maintain tension throughout the set.
- Use moderate ball weight. Aim for 12 to 20 reps per set.
Medicine Ball Crunch Form & Visual
Medicine Ball Crunch Benefits
- Adds progressive overload to floor crunches
- Easy to scale by ball weight and position
- Builds ab strength beyond bodyweight
- Simple execution
- No bench needed
- Effective home ab exercise
Medicine Ball Crunch Muscles Worked
- Rectus abdominis
- Obliques (secondary)
- Hip flexors (slight)
Medicine Ball Crunch Variations & Alternatives
- Crunch with Medicine Ball
- Weighted Crunch
- Standard Crunch (bodyweight)
- Med Ball Russian Twist
- Med Ball V-Up
