Abdominal Curl on a Gym Ball

The Abdominal Curl is also known as the crunch or the sit-up, it can be performed lying on a gym ball. There are many ways of making it harder, one common way is placing the hands in various positions, for example, the image shows the hands by the side of the head but which is harder than having the hands on your thighs as instructed. The abdominal curl is one way to train the abs, but it shouldn’t be the only way you train them.

Body Part and Muscle Group
The Abdominal Curl work the Anterior Torso with particular focus on the Rectus Abdominis, Internal a

Joint Actions
The movement to perform the Abdominal Curl involves Spinal Flexion.

Abdominal Curl on a Gym Ball

Instructions

• Lying face up on a gym ball with your back straight and knees bent to 90 degrees.
• Keep your feet flat on the floor and place your hands on your thighs, slowly curl up until your fingers touch your knees.
• Slowly and under control lower back down while maintaining tension on your abdominals, be careful not to lower yourself too far down the gym ball.

Progression: Place your hands on your chest or by the side of your head.

Abdominal Curl on a Gym Ball
Using a Gym Ball to perform the Abdominal Curl will allow you a greater movement back, to the point where you can start beyond the normal horizontal position when doing an Abdominal Curl on the mat. By performing this exercise on a Gym Ball you are making yourself work harder to as you need to maintain your balance while doing the abdominal curl on the Gym Ball. You can still progress this exercise further by altering the position of your arms, by placing them on your thighs it will make the exercise easier, having them by your head makes it harder and having them straight out above your head makes the Abdominal Curl harder still.