Exercise Ball Crunch

Execution

1. Brace your core to keep the ball stable under your back for the whole set.
2. Exhale and curl your upper torso up off the ball, keeping your lower back still resting on it.
3. Squeeze the abs hardest at the top, without pulling the neck forward.
4. Inhale and lower back down under control to the starting position on the ball.
5. Keep both feet pressed firmly into the floor throughout so the ball does not roll away.

Quick cues

• Lower back stays resting on the ball.
• Squeeze the abs, don't pull the neck.
• Feet pressed firmly into the floor.
• Curl slowly, under control.

Common faults

• Fault: The ball rolling away, causing a loss of balance mid-set

  Fix: Press both feet firmly into the floor and brace the core to keep the ball still.

• Fault: Pulling the neck forward with the hands instead of using the abs

  Fix: Rest the fingertips lightly behind the ears and let the abs lead the movement.

• Fault: Curling up too high, lifting the lower back off the ball

  Fix: Curl only the upper torso, keeping the lower back resting on the ball at all times.

• Fault: Letting the torso drop freely back onto the ball

  Fix: Count 2 seconds on the way down so the abs control the whole motion.