How to Do an Abdominal Crunch

Introduction

Tired of that spare tire around your waist? Are even your "love handles" too big to hold on to? Trim down by eating well, exercising regularly and working your abdominal muscles - starting with a crunch.

By: eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

Length: 1:12

Comments: 34

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Instructions

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Difficulty: Moderate

Tips & Warnings:

For a more difficult crunch, do the exercise starting with your knees bent roughly at right angles and your feet lifted off the floor 2 or 3 inches. Cross your feet at the ankles for stability. Doing the crunch this way puts more pressure on the abdominals.
For an easier exercise, fold your arms across your chest with each hand resting palm down on the opposite shoulder. Pay special attention to your neck since your hands are not supporting the back of your head. (This method also prevents "cheating" for those tempted to use the larger shoulder carriage muscles in the "hands-behind-head" method.)
For a more advanced crunch, hold lightweight plates (1 to 10 lbs.) on your chest or hold the plate behind your head as you support your head.
Crunch with a twist by curling up one elbow (or side) slightly above the other elbow. This works the obliques - the side muscles of your abdomen.
Do two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions once a day. You should see results in 4 to 6 weeks.
There are multiple variations of the abdominal crunch, including pull-down and cross-knee crunches - see Related Sites for details.
Lying on an exercise mat rather than a hard floor helps prevent back strain.
Despite what you may think, commercialized abdominal machines/rollers are not enough to get you solid abs. A "six-pack" results from not only crunches, but also consistent aerobic and fat-reducing exercise (such as running), as well as eating a low-fat diet.
Once your abs are a little stronger, look into ab video workouts and ab machines. They will introduce more advanced exercises and add definition to your stomach.
Avoid using your hands to pull up your head. This can cause serious damage to the neck and spinal cord regions.
One clear sign of improper technique is touching your elbows together when doing the exercise.
If you have any condition that would impair or limit your ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Step1

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor in front of you. Lie on an exercise mat rather than a hard floor to prevent back strain.

Step2

Position your feet as wide as your hips.

Step3

Place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are tucked behind your ears.

Step4

Hold your elbows slightly out to the sides and keep your chin pointing upward.

Step5

Curl up and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift off the floor. Make sure you're not pulling your head forward with your hands. If your chin is making contact with your chest, the abdominal muscles aren't being used in the exercise.

Step6

Pause for a moment. Lift your head up enough so that your middle and lower back stay on the floor. Squeeze your abdominals as you pause.

Step7

Slowly lower your head, neck and shoulder blades to starting position.

Step8

Keep your knees bent, your feet in the same position and your back straight throughout the entire exercise.

Comments

MidniteWriter said

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on 11/29/2007 This is good to know. Hard to target the lower abs but this will help!

AmandaJurgun said

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on 10/7/2007 is there a difference for women? Thank you!

Estreetloans said

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on 10/2/2007 Nice ehow article. I think in todays age we can all use a little tutorial on how to do correct excercises. I know i do at least :)
Regards!
Melissa
www.estreetloans.com

sharkhead7854 said

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on 2/21/2007 woo! gonna work out to be on my way to doing a backflip!

Anonymous said

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on 8/28/2006 According to Kendall and Kendall, two muscle groups are responsible for the torso curl or sit-up: Hip flexes and abdominals. The bent knee crunch actually brings the hip flexes in to play more so than the abs. To strengthen the abs they state that initially place a small roll under the knees, rotate the pelvis posteriorly so that the arch in the lumbar spine region is flat, and then do the torso curl. You may not get very far in the curl at first but after repeated days and weeks your abs will be stronger and then remove the roll.