Mission Mondays – CRUNCHES
Honestly, I am not one that loves to do crunches. And even though it is one of the most popular abdominal exercises., I really do hate them. They involve the entire abs but mostly it works the rectus abdominal muscles and also works the obliques. They allow both establishing six-pack abs and tightening the belly.
I know that they are a vital piece to a workout routine, but it’s just not something I enjoy, not in the least.
Biomechanics professor Stuart McGill was quoted in The New York Times Health blog as stating:
An approved crunch begins with you lying down, one knee bent, and hands positioned beneath your lower back for support. “Do not hollow your stomach or press your back against the floor”, McGill says. Gently lift your head and shoulders, hold briefly, and relax back down.[2]
In a crunch, unlike a sit-up, the lower back stays on the floor. This is said to eliminate any involvement by the hip flexors, and make the crunch an effective isolation exercise for the abdominals.[3]
Crunches effectively develop the abs , but after you get used to traditional crunches , you will need harder crunch variations. … But in order to fully develop the midsection , crunch variations are not enough , as they only work the upper abs . You need to exercise both your lower abs and obliques.
THE RIGHT WAY TO DO CRUNCHES
- Lie flat on the floor, knees bent, and feet flat. Loosely cross your arms across your chest or cup hands behind your head.
- Contract your abdominal muscles. …
- Begin inhaling, and slowly lower yourself back to the ground, maintaining back and neck alignment.
- Repeat 10-15 times, then rest before doing another set.
The Bicycle Crunch
Bicycle crunches are a great way to target the rectus abdominals and the obliques in one easy exercise.
1) Lie on the floor with your hands lightly placed on either side of your head. Press your lower back into the ground. Lift your knees to a 45-degree angle.
2) Bring your right knee toward your chest, as if it was on the upward swing of pedaling a bike. At the same time, bring your left elbow toward the knee.
3) Return the elbow back to the starting position and you simultaneously extend your right leg out to a point and bring the left knee toward the chest. Bring your right elbow to the left knee.
4) Continue to “pedal” your legs and alternate your elbows coming forward for 10 to 15 repetitions.
The Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch is a core exercise that targets the muscles of the lower abdomen.
Instructions
1) Lie on your back, arms by your side with palms facing down to help create the balance needed for the lift.
2) Bend your knees at 90 degrees and lift your feet up so your thighs are perpendicular to the floor.
3) Pressing into your palms and engaging your core, lift your hips off the floor as you crunch your knees toward your chest. Hold the crunch at the top of the movement, then begin to lower your hips, controlling the descent and not letting your back arch off the ground.
The Cross leg Reverse Crunch
The crossed-leg reverse crunches improve strength throughout the core including the lower abdominals and obliques. Performing the exercise with a crossed leg will ensure the development of muscular balance on both sides of the body.
Instructions
1) Lie flat on your back with the knees bent, the feet flat on the floor. Cross one ankle over the top of your other knee. …
2) Curl your pelvis towards your chest and lift your legs as close to your chest as possible while maintaining the cross–legged posture. Pause, return to the starting position
Oblique crunches
Oblique crunches can be an awesome way to improve your general core strength and tone up your abdominal muscles.
Instructions
1) Begin by lying on your side, forearm down, knees slightly bent.
2) Roll slightly back onto your glute, like your sitting on the back pocket of your blue jeans and lift legs a few inches off the mat. Bring top hand behind the head so elbow is also bent.
3) Lift legs up bringing your knees to your elbow while at the same time crunching your elbow toward your knee. Squeeze your waistline with each lift. Perform the desired number of reps and switch sides.
In The End
Crunches are good, but you’ll need to add different exercises to your workout for better development.
Try looking up leg raises, side crunches, planks (there is a multitude of others to choose from), and pick those that you really enjoy doing.
Also. be sure to check out my other post on Weight Loss and Mission Mondays!
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