- To develop ab strength and learn good form so that you do not hurt your neck or back, it is best to start crunches on the floor. Lie on your back and place your fingertips behind your ears. Do not put your hands behind your head or you will be tempted to pull on your neck. Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor. Pull in your belly button as if trying to reach your spine. Crunch up to no more than 30 degrees, just enough to get your shoulders off the floor. Exhale as this will help you tighten your ab muscles. Hold for 1 second. Inhale and lower yourself to the mat. Do 10 crunches and work up to 3 sets of 20 reps, holding each for 2 seconds. Do crunches 3 times a week.
- Once you have developed good abdominal strength from regular crunches, you can advance to V-crunches. These types of crunches work your upper abs like floor crunches but also your lower abs and the transverse abdominus muscle that stabilizes your spine and holds in your internal organs. To do a V-crunch, lie face up on a mat. Reach your arms over your head and straighten your legs. Hold your legs up 45 degrees off the floor. Crunch up and keep your arms besides your ears. Hold for 2 seconds and lower your shoulders but keep your legs up. Do 10 reps. Work up to 2 sets of 20. Do these 3 times a week.
- Another intermediate crunch variation that works your upper abs but also your internal and external obliques is the ball crunch with rotation. Lie on a Bosu ball with your lower back in the center of the Bosu, and your shoulders held parallel to the floor. You should feel some work in your abs just holding your upper body in the air. Feet are flat on the floor with bent knee. Put your hands behind your ears. Crunch up 30 degrees and twist your shoulders so your right shoulder is pointing toward your left knee. Hold for 2 seconds. Lower yourself back to the start without allowing your shoulders to touch the ball or the floor. Crunch up again and twist the opposite way. Count that as 2 reps and do 12. Work up to 2 sets of 20 reps. Alternate between 2 days of Bosu crunches and 2 days of V-crunches a week to get a flat stomach, allowing a rest day between workouts. After you have achieved a flat stomach, you can drop down to 2 total days of ab workouts to maintain your tone.
