The
first thing everyone thinks of about working the ab area is – gonna get a six
pack! However, it is more important to work the abs to – get a strong core!
Strong core muscles
lead to better balance and stability in our everyday activities as well as in
sports or in the gym. Weak core muscles can lead to poor posture, lower back
pain and muscle injuries. Regardless of age or fitness level, anyone can begin
core training at any time in their life and reap the benefits.
One of the first
exercises everyone learns in gym class is ab crunches. Crunches are relatively
easy to do compared to other similar exercises, and they require no equipment;
but you can make them more challenging by adding resistance or performing them
on a ball.
The
abdominal crunch is considered a "core
strengthening" exercise, because it strengthens the base, or core, sets of
abdominal and back muscles that promote good posture and minimize the risk of
injury, says Matthew McDonald, author of "Your Body: The Missing
Manual." Crunch exercises are safer than sit-ups for your back, and they
are recommended for beginners who are just starting an abdominal exercise
regimen.
Make
sure you use proper form while doing crunches and sit-ups. These exercises
engage muscles called hip flexors, which run from your thighs to the front of
your lumbar spine in your lower back. Improper form can overwork and tighten
the hip flexors and cause lower-back pain.
One
of the first exercises everyone learns in gym class is ab crunches. Crunches
are relatively easy to do compared to other similar exercises, and they require
no equipment, but you can make them more challenging by adding resistance or
performing them on a ball.
BASIC CRUNCHES
Basic Crunch: Click here for a demonstration of the proper form for a basic crunch.
Reverse Crunch: Focus on rectus
abdominis. You will feel this one in the lower abs.
Double Crunch: Works your upper
and lower ab muscles because you are lifting both the upper and lower portion
of your body.
Oblique Crunch: Works the rectus
abdominis, the external and internal obliques - helps to get rid of those love
handles.
Frog Crunch: Works rectus
abdominis. See a visual description here.
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| FROG CRUNCH |
2 comments:
I know I need to work on my core, but never do. Thanks for the reminder and the visuals of how easy they really are!!!
Cool. This is on my to do list. I need to strenghten my midsection for my back (and to maybe one day have a waist). Thank you for having all the exercises in one place. Fish flopping exercise, here I come.
Blessings!!
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