Crunch (On Stability Ball, Arms Straight)

Setup

1. 01Sit on a stability ball and walk the feet forward until the mid-back rests on the ball.
2. 02Plant the feet flat, hip width apart, with knees at about 90 degrees.
3. 03Extend both arms straight toward the ceiling or overhead beside the ears.
4. 04Let the torso drape slightly back over the ball for a pre-stretch.

Execution

1. 01Exhale and curl the ribcage toward the pelvis, keeping the arms straight.
2. 02Lift the shoulder blades off the ball without the hips dropping.
3. 03Pause at the top with abs fully shortened.
4. 04Lower back over the curve of the ball into a gentle stretch.

Checkpoints

• -Arms stay straight and travel only with the torso.
• -Hips stay level; only the upper body moves.
• -The ball stays still under the mid-back.
• -Each rep starts from the stretched position over the ball.

Common mistakes

• -Swinging the straight arms to create momentum.
• -Letting the ball roll forward and back with each rep.
• -Dropping the hips and turning it into a partial sit-up.
• -Skipping the back-extension stretch at the bottom.