Is this a good way to to do crunches?

Riprorin

Banned
Apr 25, 2000
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What I've been doing recently is bending my knees, lifting my feet of the ground, putting my hands behind my head, and touching my elbows to my knees (right elbow to left knee and vice versa).

I usually do about 75 or so and then do a bicycle motion with my shoulders off the ground.

Will this give me a decent ab workout?
 

Yossarian

Lifer
Dec 26, 2000
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that's ok, you probably don't have to go that high though. it doesn't take a big range of motion to fully contract the abs. make sure you aren't pulling with your hands behind your head.
 

madthumbs

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Oct 1, 2000
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Is it natural? Is there anything that is natural about it (something about the motion that would be useful)? How are you in relation to gravity; parallel or vertical? Do you understand the importance of muscle balance between antagonist muscles? You realize that you can work lower abs and upper abs seperately? The point is; there's a lot to know about resistance training, and if you're not properly educated you can end up worse off than you are to begin with. On the other hand I believe resistance training is the best form of excersize "if" don properly.
 

Nutdotnet

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2000
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Originally posted by: crt1530
You cannot work the upper and lower abs separately. That is all.


Amen brother!

You want some great ab workouts? Do squats and deadlifts. :D
 

Kelemvor

Lifer
May 23, 2002
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Way we usually do them is

Lay on your back and raise you legs relatively straight up in the air but with knees slightly bent. Cross your ankles to make it easier.
Then when you begin to sit up, also pull your legs towards you and basically crunch from both sides at once. Then go back down but don't put your head al the way to the groun, just drop a few inches and repeat.

Then for some fun, continue to do the same thing but cross right elbow to left knee, then go down but don't really touch your back to the floor, just do more of a rotate over to touch your left elbow to right knee...

Also works well to sit in a V shape with just your butt touching the ground. Cross your finger (like praying) and cross your ankles. Then basically twist back and forth with your upper body while keeping everything tense.