Tuesday, August 21, 2012

How to do a proper crunch


Lie with your back on floor. Use a mat for comfort.
 Bend your knees, keep your feet flat on the floor or you can suspend them for an added challenge. An option is to slightly lift your heel  to work your hip flexors as well.
 Cross your arms in front of your chest or you can place them lightly on your temples or just behind your ears. You just DON'T want to pull your head or your neck during the exercise which can place extra strain on your spine. Your head and neck should be "resting" on your hands. An option is to have a weight on yor chest for added resistance.
 Lift your shoulders towards the ceiling while you curl your back one vertebrae at a time off the floor, using only your abdominal muscle. Exhale and contract your abs on your way up then hold for one second.
Try to look up at the ceiling instead of tucking your chin in towards your chest.
If your hands are behind your head, try not to bring your elbow in when coming up (this encourages your head to tilt forward) . Keep them level with your ears.
Control the movement as you come down.
 Relax your abs before doing another crunch.

Try taking a Core/Abs class at the gym. Check out  the schedule for class times.

No comments:

Post a Comment