Swiss Ball Crunch question

DrG3n3

I did the first B workout today with the swiss ball. I'm sure the ball was a good size, and the crunch felt ok, but I did 8 and pretty much felt like I could do a billion more. Any one else with this problem? Should I try it again and just adjust myself a lot or should I try it weighted? I've done crunches on the ground, sit ups and all that so I feel like I am doing it right...just didn't really feel it.

mstawnya

Last week, I did mine with a weight plate and even with 15 lbs. it felt light (and awkward to hold onto). Today, I held a 40 lb. dumbbell across my chest and that worked great. I did 20 of them that way because I felt good and will definitely increase the weight that way next time. Good luck!

DrG3n3

I'll give that a shot next time. The jackknifes are a bit harder so I thought the crunches would be hard too. Def not. I'll try a 20lb plate and see.

CannibalisticVegetarian

Glad to know I wasn't the only one who felt this way! I didn't want to go against the workout plan, but the crunches felt a little too easy... as opposed to those awful jacknifes (or is it knives?). I think I'll give it a go with the plates.

Also, do any of you ladies find the step-ups being a little too easy? I feel NOTHING from these.. but then again, we don't have aerobics benches at the gym and instead I use this balance ball thingy.. I was told that this works just as good, but it doesn't feel like much.

DrG3n3

I did them with 20 lbs in each hand and about 20" off the floor. I felt it, but only around number 10 or so. Mostly though I don't really know if I felt it enough. The next day and even two days later my legs didn't really feel sore so I figure I need to add more weight. You could always try doing them on stairs and stepping higher, even adding more weight.

deninevi

If the SB crunch starts being to easy with the plate on your chest, try extended arms holding weight. The jackknifes get easier with practice and they are great for the core and arms and shoulders.
The step ups-I do then on the bench for the bench press. When that gets to be too easy , up the weight. If it gets to the point where your grip is giving up, try it with barbell. Also, for the step ups the leg that is on the bench should do the work-don't push or slam on the foot on the floor.

DrG3n3

Can you explain extending arms holding weights please?

Also I kind of softly tap the bench with my non-working foot only because I am a tiny bit wobbly and don't want to fall but I do try to push through the heel of my working foot. Now that I've done then both one time I'm going to really try next time since I'm more comfortable.

CannibalisticVegetarian

Our gym lacks staircases also... yeah they're fairly new. What else could suffice? Maybe stacked weight plates? I'm trying to think outside the box.

DrG3n3

I used a bench at the gym. One of the ones you can adjust to sit in or lay on for doing different weight things.

deninevi

Can you explain extending arms holding weights please?

Also I kind of softly tap the bench with my non-working foot only because I am a tiny bit wobbly and don't want to fall but I do try to push through the heel of my working foot. Now that I've done then both one time I'm going to really try next time since I'm more comfortable.

Here is a link of long arms crunch done on the floor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fDjzzfovZE&feature=related

You do the same , but on the ball with weight in your arms. And you have weighted long arms crunch.

CannibalisticVegetarian

I used a bench at the gym. One of the ones you can adjust to sit in or lay on for doing different weight things.

Bless you!

HeidiHoMom

Also, do any of you ladies find the step-ups being a little too easy? I feel NOTHING from these.. but then again, we don't have aerobics benches at the gym and instead I use this balance ball thingy.. I was told that this works just as good, but it doesn't feel like much.

I find the step ups hard. I use a step that is about a foot high, maybe a bit more and 15 lbs dumbbells and I am sweating doing these.

Cait_Sidhe

I had been using abdominal weight machines for a few months before I started NROL4W, so I found the swiss ball crunches way too easy. I now do them with a 25# dumbell held over my head, gonna try 30# next time.

But I hate step ups. I'm really short and use a weight bench for them so it's a really high step for me. I'm in Stage 2 and I'm pretty much stagnated with 2 20# dumbells.

Aineko

I asked my trainer today about how I could modify it and he showed me a very good modification. I'm not very good at explaining these things, but basically you prompt your feet up against the wall ( 90 degrees angle at knees), sit on the 'edge' of the swiss ball (so your but feels like it's gonna slip down any second) and do crunches by fully extending your back over the ball when coming back. When I do these with an 8kg weight I start to feel them somewhere around the 16th crunch. I'll try extending my arms next time. The thing is, you have to keep your whole core engaged to prevent the ball from moving.

mstawnya

Also, do any of you ladies find the step-ups being a little too easy? I feel NOTHING from these.. but then again, we don't have aerobics benches at the gym and instead I use this balance ball thingy.. I was told that this works just as good, but it doesn't feel like much.

I pulled the step into the squat rack today and did the step ups with the bar & weights on my shoulders today. It was a little strange, but that way I could add more weight.