Chrunches
The basic crunch is the consummate abdominal exercise in a strength-training program. Pay special attention to your form when you do crunches, especially if you have lower-back or neck problems.
Performing the basic crunch Follow these steps to perform crunches:
Performing the basic crunch Follow these steps to perform crunches:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Place your hands behind your head so your thumbs are behind your ears.
Don’t lace your fingers together.
- Hold your elbows out to the sides but rounded slightly in.
- Tilt your chin slightly, leaving a few inches of space between your chin and your chest.
- Gently pull your abdominals inward.
- Curl up and forward so that your head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor.
- Hold for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower slowly back down.
Credit: Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.Curl up to work on your abs.
- Keep your abdominals pulled in so you feel more tension in your abs and so you don’t overarch your lower back.
- Don’t pull on your neck with your hands or draw your elbows in.
- Do curl as well as lift. In other words, don’t yank your head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor; you also need to curl forward, as if you’re doubling over. Think of bringing your ribs to your pelvis and exhale as you crunch up; inhale as you lower back down, keeping your belly button drawn in.
- Perform crunches very slowly and with control.