Weighted Crunch

Description

How to Do Weighted Crunch

1. 1
   Setup

   Lie supine on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart. Ensure your lower back is pressed into the mat.

2. 2
   Setup

   Hold a weight plate or dumbbell against your upper chest with both hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.

3. 3

   Exhale and slowly curl your upper body off the mat by contracting your rectus abdominis, lifting your head, shoulders, and upper back.

4. 4

   Focus on bringing your rib cage towards your pelvis, continuing the movement until your shoulder blades are just off the mat while keeping your lower back pressed down.

5. 5

   Inhale as you slowly and with control lower your upper body back down to the starting position, maintaining tension in your abdominal muscles throughout.

Tips

• Maintain a neutral neck position by imagining an apple between your chin and chest, preventing excessive strain on your cervical spine.
• Focus on initiating the movement by 'peeling' your spine off the floor segment by segment, rather than just lifting your head or jerking upward.
• Control both the upward and downward phases of the crunch to maximize time under tension and muscle engagement in your rectus abdominis.
• Breathe out as you crunch up to help engage your core more effectively and breathe in as you slowly lower your torso back down.

Common Mistakes

• ×Pulling on your neck with your hands instead of using your core can strain your cervical spine; instead, keep your hands lightly on the weight or crossed over your chest.
• ×Using momentum to crunch up reduces abdominal engagement; focus on a slow, controlled movement driven solely by your core muscles.
• ×Lifting too high off the mat turns the crunch into a sit-up and can disengage the rectus abdominis; only lift until your shoulder blades are just off the floor.