How to Perform Fitness Ball Crunches

On a fitness ball, you have a greater range of motion than you do on a hard, flat surface. In addition to providing increased stability, this allows users to exercise their core muscles more thoroughly. Using a fitness ball, you can perform crunches to tone your abdominal muscles and work your way toward a six-pack.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Air pump
• Fitness ball
• Weighted discs or hand weights

Master Basic Abdominal Crunches on a Fitness Ball

1. Inflate your fitness ball to a level at which you are comfortable. It will feel firm if you decide to inflate the fitness ball to its fullest, whereas it will sink slightly when pressure is applied and the ball is not pumped as much as possible. Try filling the ball to different degrees and sitting on it to decide how much air you want to pump into the ball for your exercises.
2. Stand in front of the fitness ball with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend at the knees as if you are performing a squat and come to rest on the fitness ball.
3. Lean back, as if you were lying down, while your feet remain on the floor. If you are just starting your exercise routine, recline until your torso is parallel to the ground. When you are comfortable using the fitness ball, you can stretch your muscles and increase the difficulty of your crunches by reclining so that your head is pointed toward the floor.
4. Tighten your abdominal muscles to perform a crunch. Perform this motion slowly rather than trying to swing yourself upward. Curl your torso upward so that it approaches the vertical position.
5. Remain in this position for at least a full second. Slowly recline until you are parallel to the floor or pointed toward it. Hold this position for a full second before curling upward for the next repetition of the crunch.

Execute Advanced Abdominal Crunches

6. Pick up your weighted disc or hand weight after you are seated on the fitness ball. Hold the weight across your chest while you perform the basic abdominal crunch.
7. Rotate your torso toward one side while curling upward to finish the crunch. This will work the side abdominal muscles. Alternate between twisting to the left and right sides as you perform your crunches.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid placing your feet too close together when you perform crunches on a fitness ball. This can reduce your stability and cause you to lose your balance. Also make sure that the fitness ball is not too close to your feet before you sit down on it. If the ball is too close, you may lose your balance when you try to recline.