How to Do Weighted Crunches

Part of a solid workout routine involves work on your abdominal muscles. One way to accomplish this is to do weighted crunches. When performed correctly, this exercise is a powerful tool that can enhance your abs beyond the capabilities of simple floor crunches.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dumbbell or free weight disk
• Padded floor mat

1. Choose the type and size of weight. You can use a dumbbell or a free weight disk, such as the type normally attached to a barbell. If you're not certain how much weight to use, start small with 3 to 5 pounds. You can always increase the weight. If your weight is too heavy, you could injure your back or abdominal muscles.

2. Lie on your back on a padded floor mat. Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor. Place the weight on your abdomen.

3. Keep your arms close to your sides while lifting the weight into the air. Place your upper arms on the floor, bend at the elbows and lift with your forearms.

4. Hold the weight level. If it dips lower on one end or off to one side, you could harm or strain your body.

5. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper body forward until your shoulders are even with your knees. While doing so, allow the weight to slide toward your knees.

6. Recline back to the original position in a controlled manner. Don't throw your body backward or allow yourself to fall to the floor. The exercise involves controlling backward motion just as much as forward motion.

Tips & Warnings

• Exhale as you lift, inhale as you lie back. Keep your breathing calm and controlled. Do not hold your breath or hyperventilate while performing abdominal crunches.
• For a more advanced abdominal workout, perform this exercise while balancing on a gym ball. The ball allows greater range of motion when flexing backward.
• Abdominal crunches require the use of abdominal muscles to perform. If you experience a burning sensation in your neck, you're using your upper back and neck muscles, rather than your abdominal muscles.
• This is an advanced abdominal crunch. Advanced athletes sometimes hold the weight in the area of their necks; either above or below their bodies. The center of gravity changes with higher weight positioning. For this reason, beginners who are just learning which muscles to use shouldn't use this version of the weighted abdominal crunch.

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