Crunch (Medicine Ball)
Also called Crunches (Medicine Ball), Weighted Crunches
How to do it
Lie on your back with the knees bent at about 90 degrees, holding a medicine ball at the chest or overhead. Curl the shoulder blades off the floor, driving the ribs toward the hips, then lower slowly. Keep the range short — this is spinal flexion, not a sit-up.
Setup
Lie with knees bent and feet flat, holding the medicine ball securely at the chest or with arms angled overhead. Keep the ribs controlled and choose a ball position you can maintain without neck strain.
Where you should feel it
Across the front abdominal wall with the obliques assisting, plus greater demand as the ball moves farther from the torso. Keep the movement shorter than a sit-up.
When to use it
Use for externally loaded crunch progression when bodyweight reps are easy. Keep ball position consistent for controlled sets of 8-20 reps.