Exercise:

Swiss Ball Crunches

Target Muscle:

Upper Abs

Secondary Muscle:

Lower Abs, Obliques

Equipment Needed:

Swiss Ball (dumbbell if necessary)

Proper Execution:

Lie on the swiss ball with your feet planted firmly on the ground and lower back rounded against the ball. Place your hands behind your head and curl your upper body forward until your abs are fully contracted. Pause briefly at the top and squeeze your abs together and then lower your body back to the starting position.

Tips:

The swiss ball crunch can be performed using many different positions and the important thing is to see what's right for you. The closer you position your feet together, the more difficult the exercise becomes. It also becomes more difficult depending on how high or low the ball is resting on your body. The key is to experiment and to find out what position is best for you to start off with. As you become stronger and more skilled at performing this exercise you can change up your position to make it more difficult. You can also hold a weight in front of your face to add extra resistance if necessary.