Featured Exercise #3

The crunch is an amazing little tool. The crunch works the rectus abdominus - the tall vertical muscle that runs from the diaphragm to the pelvis. It is separated in to several muscle bunches and is layered. There are core muscles deep inside, under the surface muscles. These are the support structures for the trunk. As the spine articulates like a snake, a bone or rod could not be an effective supporting tool - as it would defeat the purpose of such a mobile structure. So, our trunk muscles work to stabilize the torso and support the spine. Therefore, working the core musculature with exercises such as the crunch, are fantastically beneficial aside from sculpting our midsection.

Effectively Using the Crunch:

As the trunk muscles are the support structure for the torso they are used in virtually every motion throughout the day. Therefore, you can work simple, non-weight bearing exercises, like the crunch, on a daily basis. Just maintaining the contracted abdomen as often as possible throughout the day will effectively work the abs as well.

If you can not maintain a tight abdomen throughout the exercise, than you might as well not even use it. You want to suck in your stomach, like you're trying on a tight pair of jeans, the entire time you are moving. So the set position for a crunch would be the following:

Lay on the floor, with the knees bent, feet a comfortable distance from your rear. Tilt your pelvis so the lumbar spine (low back) presses into the floor. Tighten your abdomen, to keep the spine in place. Hands behind your head, with the elbows relaxed.

Common Mistakes:

People make many mistakes when performing the abdominal crunch. The most common are:
1. Not keeping the abdomen tight. Again this is important to not put stress in the vertebrae when crunching. But it is also important to compress the muscles. I always say to think of it like squeezing the air out of a plastic bag before sealing it.
2. Tensing the Arms. Those who have not worked the abs regularly, or not correctly, will get tired - as with any muscle work. Instead of stopping, many will pull the head up off of the floor with the arms. If you can not crunch without tensing the arms, place them across your chest instead of behind the head.
3. Moving Too Fast. If you move quickly through any strength exercise than you diminish its effects. You build up momentum so that the force of the motion carries you through as opposed to the strength of the muscle. I usually tell clients to start with a 3 / 2 / 1 crunch. Lift the shoulder up for a count of 3, hold them up for a count of 2 then release for a count of 1.
4. Jutting the Chin Forward. Again this is a sub-conscious way to get the shoulders higher, as well as a likely indication of a mis-alignment in the shoulder complex. Jutting the chin forward will tense the neck, causing tightness and pain. If you tend to feel pain in your neck when crunching, try holding a grapefruit or softball between your chin or your chest.

The Exercise:

Floor Crunch:
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands behind your head with elbows wide. Inhale as you tighten your stomach. Exhale as you
lift your shoulders off of the mat. Inhale as you release.
- Works the Tall Vertical Muscle of the abdomen (Rectus Abdominus), it generally focus' on the top 1/2 of this long muscle.

Floor Side Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands behind your head with elbows wide. Place both knees to one side. Inhale as you tighten
your stomach. Exhale as you lift your shoulders toward the ceiling. Inhale as you release.
- Works the sides as well as the muscle that run diagonally out from the tall center muscle (the Obliqes and the Transverse Abdominus)

Floor Total Body Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear. Hands behind your head - abs tight and shoulders rolled back. Inhale. Exhale as you lift shoulders off of the floor - at the same time lift your knees toward your chest. Release as your inhale - Feet do not need to touch the floor between reps.
- Works the Tall Vertical Muscle of the abdomen (Rectus Abdominus), it generally focus' on the center of this long muscle.

Floor Reverse Crunch
Lay on floor with feet a comfortable distance from your rear, hands by your side. Tighten your abdomen and roll back your shoulders. Inhale as you lift your fee off of the floor until knees point to the ceiling. Exhale as you pull the knees toward your chest. Inhale as you release you knees to point straight up.
- Works the Tall Vertical Muscle of the abdomen (Rectus Abdominus), it generally focus' on the bottom 1/2 of this long muscle.

Note: people suffering from low back discomfort should do NO floor abdominal exercises, as this can put stresses on the vertebrae. I suggest using a stability ball which will support the spine better.