10 Best Weighted Crunches Alternatives for Core Strength

Weighted Crunches are done lying on your back with a medicine ball. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Lying Leg-hip Raise, the Reverse Crunch and the Sit-up With Arms On Chest.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Weighted Crunches

Weighted Crunches
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Medicine-ball
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation
How to perform Weighted Crunches
  1. Lie flat on your back with your feet flat on the ground or resting on a bench with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle.
  2. Hold a weight to your chest, or you may hold it extended above your torso. This will be your starting position.
  3. Now, exhale and slowly begin to roll your shoulders off the floor. Your shoulders should come up off the floor about 4 inches while your lower back remains on the floor.
  4. At the top of the movement, flex your abdominals and hold for a brief pause.
  5. Then inhale and slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position.
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Ranked Weighted Crunches Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches Weighted Crunches on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Lying Leg-hip RaisePlay demonstration

    1. Lying Leg-hip Raise

    85% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Engage your core and lift your legs off the ground, raising them towards the ceiling.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  2. Reverse CrunchPlay demonstration

    2. Reverse Crunch

    85% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your arms extended along your sides.
    2. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your thighs perpendicular to the floor.
    3. Contract your abs and curl your hips off the floor, bringing your knees towards your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  3. Sit-up With Arms On ChestPlay demonstration

    3. Sit-up With Arms On Chest

    85% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Cross your arms over your chest.
    3. Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground towards your knees.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  4. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    4. Flat Bench Leg Pull-in

    84% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on an exercise mat or a flat bench with your legs off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench (or with palms down by the side on an exercise mat). Also extend your legs straight out. This will be your starting position.
    3. Bend your knees and pull your upper thighs into your midsection as you breathe out. Continue this movement until your knees are near your chest. Hold the contracted position for a second.
    4. As you breathe in, slowly return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  5. Sit-upPlay demonstration

    5. Sit-up

    84% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  6. Half Sit-upPlay demonstration

    6. Half Sit-up

    82% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  7. Quarter Sit-upPlay demonstration

    7. Quarter Sit-up

    82% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  8. Arms Overhead Full Sit-upPlay demonstration

    8. Arms Overhead Full Sit-up

    81% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Extend your arms overhead, keeping them straight.
    3. Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is upright.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  9. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    9. Flat Bench Lying Leg Raise

    81% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie with your back flat on a bench and your legs extended in front of you off the end.
    2. Place your hands either under your glutes with your palms down or by the sides holding on to the bench. This will be your starting position.
    3. As you keep your legs extended, straight as possible with your knees slightly bent but locked raise your legs until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Exhale as you perform this portion of the movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second.
    4. Now, as you inhale, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches
  10. Frog Sit-ups

    10. Frog Sit-ups

    81% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie with your back flat on the floor (or exercise mat) and your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Now bend at the knees and place your outer thighs by the floor (or mat) as you make the soles of your feet touch each other.
    3. Now try pushing both soles and bringing them up as near you as possible while you keep the outer thighs on the floor (or at least almost touching it). Tip: In this position your legs should create a diamond shape.
    4. Now, cross your arms in front of you by touching the opposite shoulders. This will be your starting position.
    5. As you exhale flatten your lower back to the floor while curling the torso upwards. Tip: This will be like performing the first 1/4 movement of a sit up. Hold at the top position for a second.
    6. As you inhale, slowly lower back to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as Weighted Crunches
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not free weights
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as Weighted Crunches

Weighted Crunches FAQ

What muscles does Weighted Crunches work?

Weighted crunches primarily target the rectus abdominis, with secondary loading of the internal and external obliques. If you use a large range of motion or pull with your shoulders, hip flexors and neck muscles can assist, so cue a tucked pelvis and keep the chin slightly tucked to maximize abdominal contraction.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Weighted Crunches?

The hollow body hold is the top bodyweight alternative for isolating the rectus abdominis while training anti-extension. Press your lower back into the floor, draw the navel to the spine, lift shoulders and legs a few inches, and hold with steady breathing to maintain tension and spinal alignment.

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