Medicine Ball V Up

The medicine ball V up lifts the torso and one straight leg at the same time, meeting the ball to the foot at the top of each repetition. Raising both halves of the body together is what separates it from a crunch: the rectus abdominis has to work against the leverage of the legs as well as the torso, and the hip flexors contribute rather than being the only thing moving. Holding a medicine ball overhead lengthens the upper lever considerably, so a light ball makes the exercise substantially harder without any change in technique. Alternating legs keeps the range honest and lets you hold a cleaner position than the double-leg version usually allows. Lower under control without letting the shoulders or the heel settle back on the floor between repetitions. Start with a ball of two or three kilos at most, because the leverage overhead makes even a light one feel considerably heavier than it looks.