Bicycle Crunch (Medicine Ball)
Level
intermediate
Mechanic
isolation
Equipment
medicine ball Category
strength Primary Muscles
Secondary Muscles
An abdominal exercise using a medicine ball that combines a bicycle crunch movement with rotational work for core strength and endurance.
Instructions
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet off the ground, holding a medicine ball at chest height.
- Lift your shoulders off the ground slightly, engaging your core.
- Bring one knee toward your chest while rotating your upper body, attempting to touch the medicine ball to the opposite knee.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Keep the medicine ball held firmly at chest height throughout the movement.
- Focus on core engagement rather than pulling on your neck.
- Move in a controlled manner to maintain tension on the abdominals.
- The rotation emphasizes oblique activation alongside the rectus abdominis.
Recommended starting values
Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | |||
| Gain strength | 3 | 15 reps | 4 kg | 4 kg |
| Build muscle | 3 | 18 reps | 4 kg | 3 kg |
| Build endurance | 3 | 25 reps | 3 kg | 2 kg |