Crunch with Medicine Ball
- Target muscle
- Rectus Abdominis
- Synergist muscles
- Obliques
- Equipment
- Medicine Ball
- Body part
- Waist
- Type
- Strength
The crunch with medicine ball is a weighted core exercise that targets the rectus abdominis (the front "six-pack" muscles), with the obliques assisting to stabilize the trunk. Holding a medicine ball at your chest or overhead adds resistance to the basic crunch, making it a simple way to progress your ab training once bodyweight crunches feel easy.
How to do the Crunch with Medicine Ball
- 1Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.
- 2Hold a medicine ball against your chest with both hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- 3Brace your core and press your lower back gently into the floor.
- 4Curl your shoulders and upper back off the floor by contracting your abs, exhaling as you rise.
- 5Crunch up until your shoulder blades clear the floor, keeping your lower back in contact with it.
- 6Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your abdominals.
- 7Lower under control back to the start, inhaling as your shoulders return to the floor.
- 8Complete your reps, then set the medicine ball down.
Form tips
- Keep the movement in your abs — curl your ribcage toward your pelvis rather than pulling with your neck or arms.
- To increase the load, extend the medicine ball overhead with your arms straight; to make it easier, hold it on your chest.
- Move slowly and avoid using momentum to fling yourself up — let the abs do the work.
- Keep your chin a fist's width from your chest so your neck stays neutral throughout the set.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on your head or neck with the ball, which strains the cervical spine instead of loading the abs.
- Sitting all the way up into a full sit-up, which shifts the work to the hip flexors and reduces tension on the rectus abdominis.
- Using a ball that's too heavy, forcing momentum and jerky reps that break form and risk a lower-back strain.
- Letting your lower back arch off the floor, which removes tension from the abs and stresses the spine.
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the crunch with medicine ball work?
It primarily targets the rectus abdominis, the front abdominal muscles that make up the "six-pack," with the obliques assisting to stabilize your trunk.
Where should I hold the medicine ball?
Hold it against your chest for a moderate load, or extend it overhead with straight arms to make the crunch harder. The farther the ball is from your hips, the greater the resistance on your abs.
How heavy should the medicine ball be?
Start light — a 2 to 4 kg ball is plenty for most people. Pick a weight you can crunch with for 10 to 15 controlled reps without using momentum or pulling on your neck.
Is the crunch with medicine ball good for beginners?
Yes, once you can do bodyweight crunches with good form. Begin with a light ball held at your chest and only progress the weight or move it overhead as your core gets stronger.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Aim for 2 to 4 sets of 10 to 20 controlled reps. When you can hit the top of that range cleanly, add a little weight or extend the ball overhead to keep progressing.
