Are you tired of endless crunches that seem to yield little results? It’s time to ditch the traditional core exercises and switch up your routine. You’ll be surprised at how many benefits come with a crunch-free workout. From improved posture to increased flexibility, read on for some surprising advantages of saying goodbye to those sit-ups.
The Reason You’re Doing Crunches Wrong
Crunches are a common part of most people’s workout routine, but they may not be the best exercise for you. Here’s why:
Crunches target your abdominal muscles, which are important for overall fitness. But crunches aren’t the only way to work your abs. You can also do side bends, reverse crunching (with your feet on the floor), and other exercises that focus on different parts of your stomach.
Crunches also put a lot of stress on your lower back. Over time, this could lead to back pain or other problems. If you’re having trouble with your back, you should consult a doctor before starting any new exercise routine.
The Best Way to Do Crunches
When it comes to strength training, many people are quick to ditch crunches in their routine in favor of other exercises. But according to the American Council on Exercise, crunches are one of the best exercises for overall fitness. Here are five surprising benefits of doing crunches:
1. They Improve Your Core Strength
Crunches work your abdominal muscles from all angles, which means that you’ll develop greater core strength and stability. This will help you stay strong when doing other exercises that involve your abs, like pushups or sit-ups.
2. They Help You Lose Weight
One study found that women who did 20 sets of 30 reps of abdominal crunches lost more weight than those who did only 10 sets of 10 reps. Ironically, doing fewer reps didn’t result in a better workout – it was the intensity (and number) of crunching repetitions that mattered most!
3. They Help Reduce Back Pain
Crunches have been shown to reduce back pain by strengthening your abdominal muscles and stabilizing your spine. In addition, they improve posture by increasing the flexibility in your lumbar spine area.
4. They Are Good for Your Neck and Spine Too
While not as well known as the benefits of crunches for the abdominals, crunches can also help improve neck and spine health by strengthening your cervical collarbone and thoracic spine respectively. This will help reduce stiffness
The Worst Thing to Do After a Workout
After a great workout, it’s tempting to reward yourself with some post-workout crunches. But according to fitness expert and author of “The New Rules of Lifting for Women,” Dr. Rachel Gluckman, these exercises are actually one of the worst things you can do for your body.
Crunches work your abs only minimally if at all, and they can actually lead to back pain and other injuries. For a more effective workout that also benefits your abdominal muscles, Gluckman recommends including moves like planks and push-ups in your routine.
How Much Time Should You Spend on Crunches?
Crunches are one of the most common exercises people do, but many people don’t realize that they’re not actually necessary for your fitness routine. In fact, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, crunches actually cause more harm than good.
Instead of doing crunches, focus on exercises that target your stomach muscles and lower back such as planks or stability balls. These exercises will help you tone up your abs and reduce your risk of injuries.
Conclusion
Crunches might be the most popular exercise in the world, but there are plenty of other exercises you can do to achieve the same results. In this article, we will show you some surprising benefits of ditching crunches from your workout routine and replace them with other more effective exercises. Not only will these new exercises help to target different areas of your body, but they also tend to be much less time-consuming and much more challenging than traditional sit-ups. So if you’re tired of seeing minimal progress on your abs despite hours upon hours of crunching, give our suggestions a try!
