Swiss Ball Crunch

How to do it

1. Sit on a Swiss ball, then walk the feet out until the ball is under your lower back.
2. Set the feet flat, a little wider than the hips, and cross the arms over the chest.
3. Let the upper back rest back over the curve of the ball.
4. Crunch up by pulling the ribs toward the pelvis until the shoulders are well off the ball.
5. Roll back down slowly over the ball.

Tips

• Keep the hips level and still, only the spine should move.
• Pause for a second at the top of each rep.

Common mistakes

• Pushing with the legs so the ball rolls.
• Letting the hips sink toward the floor.
• Jerking up with the head.

Muscles worked by the Swiss Ball Crunch

• Upper abs Primary47%
• Lower abs Primary29%
• Obliques Secondary20%
• Hip flexors Stabilizer4%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

A ball lets the spine extend first, adding range. Curling the ribcage toward the pelvis is spinal flexion by rectus abdominis, with the obliques assisting; a full sit up adds the hip flexors.

Swiss Ball Crunch alternatives

Same equipment

• Stability Ball CrunchOther equipment
• Weighted CrunchOther equipment

Different equipment

• Ab Crunch MachineMachine
• Cable CrunchCable
• Cable Crunch StandingCable

No equipment

• CrunchBodyweight

Make it harder

• Cable Crunch StandingCable
• Seated Cable CrunchCable
• Weighted CrunchOther equipment
• Weighted Sit UpOther equipment

Similar exercises

• Weighted Decline CrunchOther equipment
• Decline Weighted Sit UpOther equipment

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Swiss Ball Crunch work?

Mainly the upper abs and lower abs. The obliques assist.

Is the Swiss Ball Crunch good for beginners?

Yes. The Swiss Ball Crunch is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Swiss Ball Crunch?

For example the Ab Crunch Machine, Cable Crunch and Cable Crunch Standing. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Swiss Ball Crunch harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cable Crunch Standing and Seated Cable Crunch.

Sources

• Escamilla et al. 2006, Phys Ther 86(5):656-671 (traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises)

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