Weighted Butterfly Crunch
- Level
- Advanced
- Equipment
- Mat, Weight Plate, Dumbbell
- Movement
- Crunch · Lying on the back
- Tracks
- Weight & Reps
Works
Abdominals Obliques
How to do it
- Lie flat on your back on a mat with the soles of your feet together and knees fallen outward.
- Hold a weight plate or a single dumbbell flat against your chest with both hands, elbows bent.
- Engage your core and press your lower back gently into the mat.
- Curl your shoulder blades off the floor, leading with the chest and exhaling as you lift.
- Pause briefly at the top of the curl without letting the lower back arch.
- Lower your torso back down with control until the shoulder blades touch the mat, then repeat.
Common mistakes
- Using momentum to swing the torso upward, which is more tempting with added load.
- Letting the lower back arch off the floor under the weight.
- Pulling the head forward or straining the neck to help the lift.
- Choosing a weight so heavy that the range collapses into a small, jerky bounce.
- Letting the weight slide up toward the chin or drift away from the chest.
Safety
Use a load you can control for the full range; a plate that slips toward the face or neck is the main risk.
Stop if you feel lower back strain.
Avoid holding your breath under load.
Tips
- Keep the plate or dumbbell pinned to the chest so it does not drift toward the face or away from the body.
- Imagine zipping your ribs down toward your pelvis on every rep.
- Keep your lower back pressed into the mat throughout.
- Lead with the chest, not the head, and keep the neck relaxed.
- Exhale sharply at the top of the curl to reinforce the contraction.
Details
- Base movement
- Crunch
- Load position
- Front rack
- Arms
- Both
- Body position
- Lying on the back
- Load type
- Weighted
