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Step 1
Lay on the floor. Put your hands behind your head and elbows out. Lift your feet off the floor and bend your legs at the knees.
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Step 2
Pull up from the abdomen rather than from your neck. Doing this properly won't strain the neck. Keep your stomach pulled inward toward the spine, which allows the muscle memory to develop and keeps it flat.
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Step 3
Come up only partially. Keep your knees straight in the air and your focus on the abdomen to pull the upper torso up.
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Step 4
Relax your body and allow the upper portion to drop back down to the floor slowly. Part of the development of the abdominal muscles comes from the slow descent back to the floor.
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Step 5
Pause and begin the lift again. Do crunches, like any abdominal exercise, with focus on the muscles that are working. Keeping focus allows your brain to gain more control over the muscles.
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Step 6
Repeat several slowly. Remember that strong abdominal muscles help to support the body when it's standing erect and eliminates a lot of back strain. Running is easier once these muscles are toned properly.
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Step 7
Hold the crunch for a second when the head is lifted, rather than adding extra crunches to your routine. Do this once you have progressed a bit. Try to perfect the ones that you are doing as you advance. Hold the position with the head lifted for a few extra seconds to stress the muscles further and develop them more.
