Kettlebell Pullover Crunch

CoreKB

A crunch combined with a straight-arm kettlebell pullover, where the arms lower the bell overhead as the torso simultaneously curls up, creating a loaded flexion pattern as an alternative to a cable crunch.

Demo: General S&C demo

Sets

3

Reps

10-12

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Flexion-intolerant low back pain — regress to standard crunch.

Setup

Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat, holding a light kettlebell with both hands extended overhead.

Execution

  1. 1Start with the kettlebell held straight overhead, arms extended
  2. 2Simultaneously lower the arms toward the floor behind the head while curling the torso up into a crunch
  3. 3Meet the crunch and the arm movement at a controlled midpoint
  4. 4Reverse both movements back to the start together
  5. 5Keep the low back from arching during the overhead phase

Key cues

  • Arms and torso move together, not separately
  • Exhale hard as you crunch and pull the bell forward
  • Keep the low back from arching during the overhead reach
  • Control the tempo both ways

Common faults

  • Arching the low back excessively during the overhead phase
  • Bending the elbows and turning it into a triceps movement
  • Using too much weight, sacrificing the crunch portion
  • Rushing instead of a controlled combined movement

Tweaks

  • Reduce weight or range as a regression
  • Increase load progressively as strength improves
  • Slow the tempo for more time under tension

Regressions

Crunch (Standard)

Muscles

Primary: Rectus Abdominis

Secondary: Lats, Obliques

Notes

FLEXION. Direct kettlebell-based substitute for the cable crunch per equipment rules.

Sources

Attribution: General S&C canon, kettlebell substitute for cable crunch