Exercise Ball Crunch
The exercise ball crunch is a core strengthening movement performed by curling the upper body while balancing on a stability ball. This variation allows for a greater range of motion than floor crunches, effectively targeting the upper abdominals while engaging stabilizer muscles.
Since abdominal training often suffers from high volume with low intensity, the AI analyzes your rep performance and RPE to ensure you aren't just going through the motions. If your HealthKit data indicates lower back strain or poor sleep, the app can suggest regressions or alternative stability exercises to prevent injury. Over time, the system learns your endurance threshold and adjusts volume to ensure progressive overload without overtraining your core.
Form Cues
- Position your lower back firmly against the curve of the ball
- Exhale deeply as you curl your shoulders up toward your hips
- Keep your chin tucked slightly to protect your neck
- Hold the top contraction for a full second before lowering
- Maintain constant tension on your abs throughout the set
- Don't pull on your neck or head with your hands
- Don't use momentum or bounce off the ball to lift up
- Don't let your hips drop or lift excessively during the curl
- Don't arch your lower back excessively at the bottom of the movement
Common Mistakes
- Pulling on the neck
- Using momentum to curl up
- Limited range of motion
- Relaxing tension at the bottom
- Holding breath during exertion
Muscles Worked
This exercise primarily targets the rectus abdominis, specifically the upper region, by allowing for a greater stretch and contraction range than floor variations. The instability of the ball also engages the transverse abdominis and obliques as secondary stabilizers to maintain balance throughout the movement.
Primary
Secondary
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