Beagle1
New member
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=crunch:
"A modified sit-up having a smaller range of motion that reduces back strain and strengthens the abdominal muscles"
Kind of like a sit up, but more focussed, and a little bit easier to do.
I do four (well three) different kinds of crunches, but these aren't the only kinds at all:
- "regular" laying with feet on the ground shoulder width apart and bring my head and shoulders off the ground. Sometimes it helps to put your hands behind your head (as long as your not using them to lift your head!) or on your knees (don't pull yourself up!). These work the upper abs, between your belly button and your ribs.
- "upside down" lay with knees together and feet on the ground and pull your legs in towards yourself, while keeping your leg at a right angle as much as possible (hint: on the down movement, get your feet as close to the ground as you can without actually putting them down). Putting your hands just under your butt can make this easier on your hips. Once they start getting easy, try with straight legs. Hooking your ankles gives you more control in either version. This works the lower abs, between your belly button and your hips.
- "sideways" This one will definitely feel silly while you're doing it, but it works. Lay with your knees together and feet on the ground, and hands behind your head. Lift your knees so that they are straight up (again, hooking your ankles together helps give control), and bend to either side. Once you get a good pace going, it kind of looks like you're wiggling on the ground
What you are trying to do is bring your elbow down to touch your hip back and forth - you don't ever have to reach your hip, but that's the kind of motion you make.
There are so many different kinds of crunches that work just as well (like Scarlette's), but those are the ones I do.
"A modified sit-up having a smaller range of motion that reduces back strain and strengthens the abdominal muscles"
Kind of like a sit up, but more focussed, and a little bit easier to do.
I do four (well three) different kinds of crunches, but these aren't the only kinds at all:
- "regular" laying with feet on the ground shoulder width apart and bring my head and shoulders off the ground. Sometimes it helps to put your hands behind your head (as long as your not using them to lift your head!) or on your knees (don't pull yourself up!). These work the upper abs, between your belly button and your ribs.
- "upside down" lay with knees together and feet on the ground and pull your legs in towards yourself, while keeping your leg at a right angle as much as possible (hint: on the down movement, get your feet as close to the ground as you can without actually putting them down). Putting your hands just under your butt can make this easier on your hips. Once they start getting easy, try with straight legs. Hooking your ankles gives you more control in either version. This works the lower abs, between your belly button and your hips.
- "sideways" This one will definitely feel silly while you're doing it, but it works. Lay with your knees together and feet on the ground, and hands behind your head. Lift your knees so that they are straight up (again, hooking your ankles together helps give control), and bend to either side. Once you get a good pace going, it kind of looks like you're wiggling on the ground
There are so many different kinds of crunches that work just as well (like Scarlette's), but those are the ones I do.