Weighted Crunch
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Hold a dumbbell or plate over your chest or against the chest, brace the abs, and lift your shoulder blades off the floor without yanking the neck. Pause at the top, then lower slowly while keeping the lower back lightly pressed into the floor.
Muscles worked
Primary
Equipment
How to do it
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell or plate against the chest with both hands.
- Brace the core and curl the shoulder blades off the floor by pulling the ribs toward the pelvis.
- Pause briefly at the top with the abs fully shortened.
- Lower under control until the shoulder blades just touch the floor.
- Reset the brace before the next rep.
Watch for
- Pressing the weight up with the arms instead of curling the torso.
- Swinging the legs to launch off the floor.
- Letting the low back arch hard at the bottom.
Breathing
Exhale as you curl up, inhale as you lower.
Tip
Keep the weight close to the chest. Holding it overhead lengthens the lever and hides whether the abs are doing the work.
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