What's Wrong with Crunches?
The almighty crunch!
You’ve done them, I’ve done them and many people are still doing them in an effort to tone their mid-sections.
But is it all to no avail?
Are there no benefits in doing crunches?
We’ll get to that in a minute but first let’s look deeper into our core.
I thought it would be appropriate to zone in on abs and core in this post since it is our February focus. Also, because I still have to explain to people that no one single exercise will give you a look of toned abs.
So if you’re looking for ways to train your core instead of focusing just on your abs, then this read is for you!
Because the core and abs and not quite the same thing even though the terms are often used interchangeably.
So what is the CORE, exactly?
Our core consists of about 35 muscles… far more than abs alone! In fact, the glutes, obliques, the pelvic floor, the erector spinae and transverse abdominus are all part of the pillar of strength for your body… clearly far more than a 6-pack alone.
How do you know your CORE is weak?
Here are some signs:
lower back pain
poor posture
lack of endurance in standing
balance issues
shortness of breath
Most of us, because of our everyday sedentary lifestyle, tend to have some core weaknesses, at least to a certain degree. But the good news is this can be reversed with proper training and focus!
So the answer is not more crunches…since that exercise only targets a very small muscle of our entire core.
What we need more of is core stability and strength. And that comes from performing exercises that seek to stabilize the spine and provide anti-rotation challenges as well.
Some of these include:
Bird dog
Hip bridge
Deadbug
Plank variations
Clearly, these exercises ( which we will be exploring this month) work the core muscles that we don’t see… instead of the abs that we do see. Digging into function instead of aesthetics is the key to strengthening our deep core muscles.
The benefits?
Taller posture
Stronger lifts in strength training
More power in cardio/explosive exercises
Ease when walking
More endurance when standing for long peiods
Decrease risk of injury
Better quality of life :)
Final Thoughts…
So I’m not saying you should never do crunches… after all they can be part of your core training. But only sticking to endless crunches will not yield any benefits or any aesthetic result that you might be looking for!
Best to use your time, effort and energy towards exercises that have far more bang for your buck… the ones that will stabilize your body and truly strengthen your pillar of power!
Coach Lisa
Continue reading…
