How to Tone Your Abs With Crunches

The traditional crunch is the bedrock of any successful abdominal strengthening routine. While crunch styles differ dramatically, the standard crunch is performed on the floor while lying on your back. You can add different moves to your crunch to target and isolate different muscles while exercising. You can base your entire abdominal exercise regimen around this basic move and get a great workout, or you can add weights, cables or exercise balls for more advanced routines.

Things You'll Need

• Exercise mat (optional)

Instructions

How to Tone Your Abs with Crunches

1. Lie on your back.
   Your knees should be bent at a ninety degree angle and your feet should be flat on the floor. Make sure that your back is flat against the floor by relaxing into the ground before beginning the exercise.

2. Lift your torso so that you are halfway-sitting.
   Use only your abs to perform this movement. Your neck, head and spine should remain straight and in alignment. Look straight up and do not curl your neck forward when you move into the sitting position. If your hands are behind your head make sure that you do not push your head forward when you sit up.

3. Hold the half-sitting position for 5 seconds.
   Continue to tense your abs while you "hang" in the position. If you wish, you can hold the position for longer, or if you are just starting to work out your abs you may shorten the pause time.

4. Return to your original position.
   Do not allow yourself to fall backward, but rather lean back using a smooth, controlled motion that resists the pull of gravity.

5. Repeat the exercise as many times as you wish.
   Some people prefer to do crunches in sets of 20 or50, while others simply do up to 500 at a time. If you do them in sets, be sure to limit the amount of rest time to no more than one minute in between sets.

Tips & Warnings

• You can tone your oblique muscles by twisting when you rise up for a crunch or make the exercise harder by wearing wrist weights.

• If you start to feel pain or discomfort in your stomach or back, stop and consult a physician before continuing your abdominal routine.

Resources

• Read about variations on the classic crunch here.