Stability Ball Crunch (full Range Hands Behind Head)

1. Sit on a stability ball and walk your feet forward until the ball supports your lower and mid back.
2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent at roughly 90 degrees, hip width apart.
3. Place your fingertips lightly behind your head with your elbows out wide.
4. Lower your upper body back over the ball until you feel a stretch through your abs.
5. Engage your core to curl your shoulders and upper back up and forward into a crunch.
6. Pause briefly at the top, squeezing the abs before lowering back down with control.
7. Perform 3 sets of 12 to 20 reps, keeping the ball stable throughout.

Common Mistakes

• Pulling on the neck: Interlacing the fingers and yanking the head forward strains the neck instead of working the abs. Keep the hands light and let the abs do the work.
• Ball rolling out from under you: A wobbling ball usually means your feet are not planted wide or firm enough. Set a stable, hip width foot position before starting.
• Using only a small range: Barely curling up wastes the extended stretch position the ball provides. Lower fully into the stretch before crunching back up.
• Rushing through reps: Fast, bouncy reps rely on momentum and reduce ab tension. Slow the tempo down and pause at the top of each rep.