
The Transverse Abdominis is a pair of muscles that make up the deepest layer of core muscles and provide stability to your core while they hold in or stabilize your internal organs. They give you that chiseled, six-pack look when they are hypertrophied and help with spinal support and pelvic tilt. The Rectus Abdominis is a superficial pair of muscles that stretch down the center of the torso between the sternum and the pubic bone. Swiss ball crunches target three primary muscle groups, all of them located in your abdominal area. Secondly, the position of the body during gym ball workouts tends to place less stress on the upper and lower back. Firstly, it improves the range of motion on the lower part of the crunch or extension, which builds abdominal strength. Performing the exercise on the exercise ball will also increase balance and core stability.Īdding the Swiss ball has two primary benefits.

The Swiss ball crunch increases endurance and muscular strength throughout the core region including the lower back muscles, lower abdominals, and hip flexors. Muscle groups activated by Swiss Ball Crunches Unlike ab crunches on a bench or in plank positions on the floor, using a Swiss ball can increase the range of motion and both contract and stretch the abs on every rep.īecause the stability ball crunches are so effective, you can do fewer reps at a lower tempo if you focus on hard contractions to build a strong core. The exercise ball crunch is a popular gym exercise targeting the abdominals, and other core muscles. It includes your pelvis, lower back, hips, and abdominals.Ĭore workouts train the muscles in your core to work in harmony. Your core is the central part of your body. Individuals participating in the study were fitted with electromyographic equipment that indicated heightened activity in the lower and upper abdominals, as well as in obliques.gym ball, fitness ball, or balance ball) boosted activation, or flexing, of abdominal muscles by 24% to 38% more than crunches done in core exercises without a ball. In a study at the Department of Kinesiology at Occidental College in Los Angeles, researchers found that crunches performed on a stability ball (a.k.a.

If you wonder whether your quest to get the perfect six-pack can benefit from adding a balance ball to your workout routine, you bet! So, even before you can settle into the starting position your core and other stabilizer muscles are already engaged. Whether you balance on a Swiss ball, lean against it or hold it, its inherent wobbliness makes it an unstable environment for movement. Complete 15 reps total.The Swiss ball-also known as a gym, exercise, stability, or physio ball-is one of the best pieces of equipment for working core muscles to build core strength. Lift shoulders off floor to crunch up and touch medicine ball to shins. Lie faceup on the floor with legs and arms straight up in the air, holding a medicine ball right above your torso. Then repeat, lifting right leg off the floor. Lift your head, shoulders, and left leg off the floor and into a V position-your hands and left foot should meet. Lie faceup on the floor, arms reaching above your head-biceps by your ears-holding a medicine ball with both hands. Lift your head, shoulders, and legs off the floor and into a V position-your hands and feet should meet. Lie faceup in a hollow-hold position, legs extended and your arms reaching above your head-your biceps by your ears-holding a medicine ball with both hands. Crunch up to the left, then lower shoulders back down. With straight arms, hold medicine ball in both hands above torso. Lie faceup on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Crunch back up and grab medicine ball, then lower shoulders back down. Lower shoulders back down to ground (arms still reaching above head), leaving medicine ball on shins. Crunch up and place medicine ball to rest on shins. Lie faceup on the floor with legs perpendicular to the floor, knees bent at 90 degrees, arms reaching above your head-your biceps by your ears-and holding a medicine ball in both hands.


Subscribe to Bicycling All Access for more workouts like this one! Tamir demonstrates the circuit with a 10-pound medicine ball, but recommends starting with a light weight (around 6 pounds) and seeing how you feel with that before going up in weight. The amount of time to do each exercise varies, so see below.
#Swiss ball crunch how to
How to do it: Perform 2 to 3 rounds of this circuit. Strong rectus abdominis muscles are super important to maintain that position and stabilize the trunk while using the extremities.” Flexion of the spinal column is very important for cycling because you spend a majority of the time in trunk flexion. “This muscle helps to keep the trunk stable and flex the spinal column. “These exercises strengthen the rectus abdominis (a.k.a.
