A butterfly crunch is performed the same way as a traditional crunch, lifting your shoulders off the floor with the strength of your core. But rather than the legs stabilising you on the floor, they are open wide.

This exercise is great because:

It’s an extra challenge: without the legs to ground and stabilise you, the core takes on even more of the load in the movement.

It can help ease pain: by strengthening the core muscles that stabilise the spine.

It can be done anywhere: it’s a bodyweight challenge that requires no kit.

Move of the week: add butterfly crunches to your ab workout for an advanced core burn