Description

Crunches or abdominal crunches work the rectus abdominis muscle in the midsection of your body. Ab curls may also engage the external or internal oblique muscles, especially when rotation is added to the movement. Abdominal crunches are an effective way to strengthen the front of your torso or core region of your body

Execution

  1. To do a classic crunch, lie on your back, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Clasp your hands loosely behind your head.
  3. Relax your back against the floor.
  4. Now, slowly curl your shoulders up from the floor to a 30-degree angle (approximately).
  5. Make sure you don’t pull up on your neck.
  6. Hold for a second and then lower.
  7. Always exhale as you contract (bend) and inhale as you release (go back to starting position) during the crunch.
  8. You should never pull on your neck when doing a crunch. If you can’t clasp your hands behind your head, you can cross them over your chest instead.
  9. Always keep your chin off of your chest when doing a crunch. You can actually rest your fist under your chin to make sure that your chin doesn’t drop too low.
  10. Move slowly and continuously as you do the crunch.