This exercise is one of the most popular abdominal exercises. Crunch exercises include complete abs, but mainly crunch rectus abdominis works the muscle and also works the trunk. This exercise allows both making six-pack abs and tightening the abdomen. Unlike sit-ups in crunch exercise, the lower back remains on the floor. This exercise reduces your risk of injury, and targets your abs without engaging your hip muscles.
Method : Doing a Basic Crunch
1. Lie on your back on an exercise mat
- You can also do crunches on a stability ball to expand your workout and engage your entire core.
- You can try crunches on a declined exercise bench for more resistance.
2. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor
- Your knees and feet should be about hip-width apart.
- Position your feet so your heels are about 30 to 46 cm from your tailbone.
3. Cross your arms in front of your chest
- You can strain your back by tugging your head or neck. Cross your arms over your chest to completely skip this risk.
- If you place your hands behind your head or neck, keep your elbows bent, extended to your sides, and level with your ears. Letting your arms close around your head encourages your head to tilt forward.
- For increased resistance, you could hold a 2.3 to 4.5 kg plate weight over your chest.
4. Lift your shoulder blades off of the mat with a smooth, controlled motion
- Then breathe, then exhale as you engage your abs muscles and stretch your torso.
- Lifting your entire torso off of the floor can cause lower back strain. Furthermore, your hip flexors take over when you sit up all the way. A crunch more effectively targets the abs than a complete sit-up.
- Instead of resting on your chin, keep your neck relaxed. Try to keep your chin and chest in an apple-sized space.
- Your lower back, tailbone, and feet should maintain contact with the mat at all times.
5. Lower yourself back down with a slow, steady motion
- Pause for a time before making another crunch after reducing your upper body to the mat. If you rush into the next rep, you’ll end up using momentum to lift yourself instead of your muscles. Rushed movements can also lead to back injuries.
- Try doing a set of 12 crunches. For a full abs workout, you could do 3 sets of 12 standard crunches, 3 sets of reverse crunches, and 3 sets of bicycle or side crunches.