Crunches on an exercise ball are a very effective abdominal exercise, but you need to do them right if you want to get the most out of the movement!

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Crunches on an Exercise Ball

When doing crunches on the exercise ball, be sure that your lower back is the only thing in contact with the ball! The whole idea here is to increase the range of motion of the crunch movement, and if your shoulders are on the ball, you will not get very much additional benefit over just doing standard floor crunches.

Also, just as with a floor crunch, do not pull on your head as you come up. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper body off of the ball, and then hold yourself in that elevated position for 1 or 2 full seconds. When you return back to the starting position, do not rest on the ball! Immediately come back up for the next repetition, then continue that pattern for 15 to 30 focused and intense repetitions.

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