What are crunch exercises?

crunch exercises / burn belly fat

Crunch exercises are a type of endurance exercise that can help improve your physical fitness. They involve lifting weights and doing other exercises for an extended time. Crunch exercises can also be used to improve your strength and endurance, which can make you a better athlete.

What is Crunch?


Crunch exercises are a type of resistance training that involves squeezing a muscle between the thumb and the first two fingers. They are often performed with a weight in hand or with an elastic band. Crunch exercises can be done at home, in the gym, or even while traveling.

Types of Crunch Exercises


When it comes to crunch exercises, there are a few different types you can do to target different areas of your abs.


Sit-up


The first type is the sit-up. You can do this by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Then, use your abs to lift your torso up until you’re standing. Hold the position for two seconds, then slowly lower yourself to the ground.

Crunch hold


Another crunch exercise is the crunch hold. This involves lying down with your palms flat on the ground beside you. Dig your heels into the ground and lift your torso and upper legs into the air, keeping your chest firmly against the floor. Hold this position for two seconds, then slowly lower yourself to the ground.

Full crunch


The ultimate crunch exercise is the full crunch. To do this, lie down on the ground with both legs extended in front of you and arms resting at your sides. Bend your left knee so that both feet are flat on the floor, and curl your right leg up towards your chest, extending your left knee towards the ceiling. Hold this position for two seconds, then slowly lower yourself to the ground.

If you’re not ready for the full crunch, you can start with the modified crunch. This involves lying down on the ground with both legs extended in front of you and arms resting at your sides. Keep your left knee bent and curl your right leg up towards your chest, extending your left knee towards the ceiling. Hold this position for two seconds, then slowly lower yourself to the ground.

If you want to add upper-body resistance to your crunch workouts, try using a weight belt or Resistance Band.

Video by Holly Dolke

How to Do Crunch Exercises?


Crunch exercises are a great way to work out your abs and lower back. They are also a great way to tone your entire body. There are a few different crunch exercises you can do, so find one that is easiest for you to do and most effective. When doing crunch exercises, keep your back straight and your core engaged.

1. Crunch:


Lie down on the floor with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to touch your shoulder blades together. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

2. Crunch on the ball:


Place a small, lightweight ball at the base of your spine just above your tailbone. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, then curl up toward the ball, aiming to touch it with your chest. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

3. Reverse crunch:


Lie down on your back with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to create a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Reverse this motion by slowly lowering yourself back down to the starting position and repeating.

4. Glute bridge:


Lie flat on your back on the floor with your feet flat on the ground and shoulder-width apart, knees bent to 90 degrees. Drive your heels into the ground and lift your torso and upper legs up until your hips and thighs align with each other, then lower them back to the starting position.

Video by Evelyn Selke

5. Swiss ball crunch:


Place a Swiss ball at the base of your spine just above your tailbone. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, then curl up toward the ball, aiming to touch it with your chest. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

6. Quadruple crunch:


Lie down on your back with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to create a straight line from your shoulders to your toes. Cross your arms over your chest, lift both legs up off the ground simultaneously, and crunch them together for four reps.

7. Russian twist:


Lie flat on your back on the floor with feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and knees bent to 90 degrees. Drive your heels into the ground and cup your hands around them, then lift your head, chest, and upper legs off the ground until you’re seated. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

8. Ab Wheel:


Sit on the edge of a flat bench with your feet on the ground, then prop yourself up using your hands and knees. Place the ab wheel between your feet, roll it toward your butt, and then back to the starting position.

9. Medicine ball crunch:


Position a medicine ball at your feet before lying on your back on the floor with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to touch the ball with your chest. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

10. Plank with crunch:


Hold a plank position for two seconds, then crunch your abs for two more reps.

11. Bicycle crunch:


Lie down on the floor with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to touch your shoulder blades together. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

12. Ab wheel rollout:


Sit on the edge of a flat bench with your feet on the ground, then prop yourself up using your hands and knees. Place the ab wheel between your feet, roll it toward your butt, and then back to the starting position.

13. Plank with the ball:


Hold a plank position for two seconds, then crunch your abs for two more reps.

14. Swiss ball crunch:


Position a Swiss ball at the base of your spine just above your tailbone. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, then curl up toward the ball, aiming to touch it with your chest. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

15. Weighted crunch:


Hold a weight in each hand and lie down on your back on the floor with your palms flat on the ground and your feet flat on the floor, legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Dig your heels into the ground and curl your torso toward the sky, aiming to touch your shoulder blades together. Hold for two seconds, then release and repeat.

Video by Caroline Girvan

Benefits of Crunch Exercises


Crunch exercises are a great way to add intensity and variety to your workouts. They can also be a great way to improve your fitness levels. Here are some of the benefits of crunch exercises:

1) Crunch exercises can help you lose weight. They work your abdominal muscles and can help you burn fat.

2) Crunch exercises can improve your cardiovascular health. They help you increase the oxygen you get to your muscles, improving your endurance and strength.

3) Crunch exercises can help improve your flexibility. They work your abdominal muscles and can help decrease tension in your neck, shoulders, and back.

4) Crunch exercises can improve your balance. They work your abdominal muscles and can help you increase stability in your feet and ankles.

5) Crunch exercises can improve your posture. They work your abdominal muscles and can help you decrease the pain you experience when you stand or sit for long periods.

6) Crunch exercises can improve your mental health. They can help you decrease stress levels and increase your mood.

7) Crunch exercises can improve your sleep. They help you decrease the amount of tossing and turning you do in bed and can improve the quality of your sleep.

8) Crunch exercises can increase your strength. They work your abdominal muscles and can help you increase the weight you can lift.

9) Crunch exercises can increase your flexibility. They work your abdominal muscles and can help decrease tension in your neck, shoulders, and back.

10) Crunch exercises can increase your balance. They work your abdominal muscles and can help you increase stability in your feet and ankles.

Conclusion


In this article, we will discuss crunch exercises and why they can be so beneficial. Many people believe that crunch exercises are a waste of time because they think they work the same muscles as sit-ups or push-ups. However, this is not the case crunch exercises work for different muscle groups, leading to better results. So if you’re looking for a way to add extra strength and definition to your abdominal area, try incorporating some Crunch Exercises into your routine!

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