Weighted Bench Crunch
- Level
- Advanced
- Equipment
- Bench, Weight Plate, Dumbbell
- Movement
- Crunch · Lying on the back
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Abdominals Obliques - Neck
Shoulders
How to do it
- Lie supine on a flat bench with hips near the edge.
- Place feet flat on the floor or hook them under the pad.
- Hold a weight plate against your chest with both hands, or press a dumbbell lightly against your forehead with arms crossed.
- Curl the shoulders off the bench by contracting the abs, exhaling as you lift.
- Pause briefly at the top of the movement.
- Lower the torso back down with control until the shoulders return to the bench.
Common mistakes
- Pulling on the neck to lift the head.
- Using momentum to swing the torso up.
- Failing to lower the shoulders all the way down.
- Holding the breath during the repetition.
- Letting the weight drift away from the body.
- Choosing a load so heavy that the hips lift or the lower back arches.
Safety
Start light and progress gradually; heavy loads held at the forehead or behind the head can strain the neck.
Do not let the weight drop onto the chest at the bottom.
Stop if you feel lower-back arching or hip lift, which signals the load is too heavy.
Tips
- Exhale forcefully as you curl upward.
- Imagine bringing your ribcage toward your pelvis.
- Keep the neck relaxed and avoid pulling with the hands.
- Keep the weight pinned to the chest or forehead so it does not drift toward the hips.
Details
- Base movement
- Crunch
- Arms
- Both
- Body position
- Lying on the back
- Load type
- Weighted
