Say NO To Crunches!

Daily Fitness

Say NO To Crunches! -
April 18 2021


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Are you looking for a professional opinion on how to flatten your stomach and build your core muscles?

Many workout routines tend to focus on slimming your stomach or building 6-pack abs using exercises like crunches & sit-ups (and all the variations of these). While they can be somewhat effective at strengthening your muscles, these exercises are not recommended by clinical exercise professionals due to the following reasons:

- Lack of functionality : Crunches train your strength to flex (bend) your back, but safe exercises are generally performed with a neutral spine.

- Increased strain on inter-vertebral discs : Repetitive and high loading in a flexed spine increases stress on the discs in your lower back and put you at a higher risk of sustaining a disc injury

- Often targets the wrong muscles : Many people perform crunches incorrectly and actually use their hip flexor muscles instead of their abdominal muscles. When these muscles become too tight they tug on the lower spine and cause lower back pain.
As a result, crunches (and variations of them) are not only ineffective at preparing you for life activities such as lifting and carrying, but can also put you at an increased risk for lower back injuries.

Is there a solution? Yes! Replace your crunches with more beneficial exercises!

Perform planks or anti-rotation exercises instead. These exercises train your core muscles in a neutral (straight) spine position to build stability, which will effectively reduce your risk of back injury during day-to-day and vigorous activities. Give them a try and feel the difference!

You could also learn how to mindfully engage and utilize your core with nearly every exercise you do. As an added benefit, learning how to properly stabilize your core will lower your risk of injury!


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