Crunches: Do's and Don'ts

There’s nothing wrong with crunches or most other popular ab exercises but completing core exercises without good form and good execution can create bigger issues for our body. Incorrectly performed core exercises won't actually work the core, at best they'll work another muscle, at worst they'll place considerable strain on the body and cause injury. Here are some do’s and don’ts for the most common ab exercise out there, the crunch...

· Do exhale as you come up into your crunch

· Do gently support the head as you come up

· Do squeeze the pelvic floor as you come up

· Do relax the pelvic floor as you come down

· Do add in different core exercises as well as ones that make us move in different directions

· Don’t yank on the head, have the hands gently on the temples with no force behind them

· Don’t let the core ‘puff’ or ‘pooch’ out as you come up

A well performed crunch with core control

A poorly performed crunch with belly 'pooching' and little core control

With core exercises it is always quality over quantity. If you don't have the strength to do the reps, lower them and do them well instead. Your back will thank you, I promise!

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Happy training team