Abdominal Crunches

Abdominal Crunches

Crunches are the most basic abdominal exercises in fitness today. There are countless variations on the theme of crunches. In all of them, you begin by lying on your back with your lower back pressed against the mat or floor, your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor. Begin by contracting the abdominal muscles and then slowly lift and lower your head, shoulders, and upper back. You can select your arm position. If you feel tension in your neck, place your hands behind your head with your fingers interlaced or touching. If your neck does not bother you, you can extend your arms straight in front of you or overhead, or you can place them on your thighs and slide them up as you lift your upper body,shoulders, and head. If you are comfortable doing so, you can cross your hands over your chest. Some trainers advise clients to tuck the chin in; others advise to keep the cervical area straight. Lightening your feet off the floor, thus releasing weight from them, as you lift your upper body makes the crunch more challenging. You can feel this effect by alternately raising your right and left toes with each crunch.
No matter what variation you select on the abdominal crunch theme,keep your lower back flat on the mat.Protect your back by tilting your pelvis forward so your entire spine is in contact with the floor, and contract your abdominals to keep it that way. To work deeper into the lower section of the rectus abdominus, keep your heels on the floor but alternately raise your left toes and then your right toes as you come up for each crunch.
Whichever position you prefer (and this might change over time), suck in your gut so that your lower back presses against the mat or floor. You can visualize pressing your bellybutton through your back to the floor. You also can think of this as not pushing your stomach out as you crunch. Work through the entire exercise slowly and steadily,without heaving yourself up or flopping down.