Weighted Crunch

Description

How to do Weighted Crunch

1. 01
   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. 02
   Setup

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

3. 03

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

4. 04

   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. 05

   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.