Skip to main content

ClapMove · clapmove.com

Exercise handout — move better, feel better.

Back

Weighted Crunch, Weight Plate on the Chest

IntermediateStrengthTier T3

You lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, holding a weight plate against your chest with both arms crossed over it. You brace your core, tuck your chin slightly, and curl your upper body up, then lower.

Targets: Lumbar Spine
Muscles: Rectus Abdominis

Stop if

Choose an easier exercise if pain reaches 6 out of 10 or becomes sharp. Stop and rest if pain reaches 8 out of 10.

This is the general ClapMove rule. This exercise has no extra stop rule of its own.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

No equipment needed

Dosage

3

Sets

8

Reps / Time

60 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. A woman lying on her back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat, holding a round weight plate flat against her chest with both forearms crossed over it.

    Step 1 of 3

    Lie on your back with your knees bent to about 90 degrees and both feet flat on the floor. Hold a weight plate against your chest with both arms crossed over it.

  2. The same woman with her head and shoulder blades lifted off the mat, lower back and hips still down, feet flat, the weight plate still held against her chest.

    Step 2 of 3

    Curl your upper body up until your shoulder blades are clear of the floor. Do not sit all the way up.

  3. A woman lying on her back on a mat, knees bent, feet flat, holding a round weight plate flat against her chest with both forearms crossed over it.

    Step 3 of 3

    Lie on your back with your knees bent to about 90 degrees and both feet flat on the floor. Hold a weight plate against your chest with both arms crossed over it.

Safety Information

Keep the weight plate held against your chest throughout the crunch, never pushed out in front of you or extended overhead. Use caution: if you have a low-back, neck or hip injury, ask a physical therapist or physician before attempting this exercise, because it loads a trunk-flexion movement with an external weight. Stop and lower the plate to the floor with control if you feel a pinch, sharp pain or strain in your neck or low back at any point in the crunch. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

Get your free personalized program at clapmove.com/register

Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.