What do ball crunches work?

The idea of sitting on an exercise ball instead of a traditional office chair is that the instability of an exercise ball requires the user to increase trunk muscle activation and thus increase core strength, improve posture and decrease discomfort . Another benefit ball chair supporters claim is increased calorie burn.

Doing trunk exercises such as sit-ups on a Swiss ball has been shown to stimulate greater activation of lower abdominal region than the same exercise done on a stable bench . Exercising on unstable equipment such as the exercise ball improves balance and posture.21 Eki 2011

Because of its ability to target the entire core, the Swiss-ball crunch should be a staple in your workout. The exercise primarily works the rectus abdominis, or six-pack muscles, and the transverse abdominis . But when performed properly, it also calls on muscles that stabilize the hips and lower back.28 Haz 2005