Weighted Crunches
A crunch variation that adds a medicine ball to increase the resistance once bodyweight crunches feel too easy. It keeps the same familiar motion with a bit more load on the core.
- Primary musclesCore
- Secondary musclesnone listed
- EquipmentMedicine ball
- LevelBeginner · isolation
How to do the weighted crunches
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor or resting on a bench.
- Hold a medicine ball against your chest or extend it above your torso as your starting position.
- Curl your shoulders up off the floor, exhaling as you rise.
- Continue until your shoulders are a few inches off the ground, keeping your lower back down.
- Pause briefly at the top, feeling your abs contract.
- Lower back down slowly to the starting position and repeat.
Original library instructions (5 steps)
- Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle.
- Hold a weight to your chest, or you may hold it extended above your torso. This will be your starting position.
- Now, exhale and slowly begin to roll your shoulders off the floor. Your shoulders should come up off the floor about 4 inches while your lower back remains on the floor.
- At the top of the movement, flex your abdominals and hold for a brief pause.
- Then inhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the entire back off the floor; only the shoulders should rise, with the lower back staying down.
- Choosing a ball too heavy to control comfortably; a moderate weight is enough to add real challenge here.
- Using momentum to rock up and down instead of a controlled curl.
- Holding the ball too far from your chest, which strains the neck; keep it close to your body.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps, 45 to 60 seconds rest |
| Muscle | 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps, 30 to 45 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 20 to 25 reps, 30 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Add weight gradually once bodyweight crunches stop feeling challenging, rather than jumping straight to a heavy ball.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Are weighted crunches good for beginners?
They work best once regular bodyweight crunches feel easy. Beginners should master the basic movement first before adding a medicine ball.
What muscles do weighted crunches work?
They target the core, using the same curling motion as a standard crunch with added resistance from the medicine ball.
