Crunches

CLAWS

CLAWS

CLAWS

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West Midlands
Guys is it wise to do crunches everyday to see and feel improvement in the midsection?

I do roughly about 1000 crunches everyday and can feel the difference in my stomach and can also feel my abs. But I really want to know if I should continue doing the crunches everyday without fail or will it be detrimental to my progress?

CHeers
 
Are you doing some work on your lower back as well? Things like dorsal raises, and also weighted exercises like cable rows, bent over rows and squats? Doing that much work purely on your abs could cause you problems.

You shouldn't really need to do that many crunches IMO...seems a bit overkill. I'd also do some other exercises like incline situps, or situps with a twist and trunk curls.
 
Its just pure crunches. I do a bit of back work, but to be honest not enough to balance it all out.

I only train at home in limited space. My typical routine consist of 3 sets of 10 SLOW chin up.

3 sets of 20 slow press ups

I then jump into doing my abs and alternate between having feet flat on the floor whilst doing my crunches and then having legs up in the air with knees close to chest. I do some twisting crunches but I find my lower back burns out too quick and I end up panting for breath.

Would getting an ab-roller help much?

My routine normally finishes up with 30 slow squats, but not going all the way down and not straightening my legs when I go back up.
 
1000 crunches? what a waste of time. Train your abs like any other muscle. Would you do 1000 squats? no. The way to strong abs is by doing compound lifts such as squats and deadlift. Abs dont need a lot of work if your doing your core compounds. If you can do 1000 crunches or 30crunches you need to add resistance to the exercise like u *** with any other muscle. Try doing those crunches with a 50Kg plate lying on your upper chest, or a 50kg dumbbell wedged between your chin and chest. Cable crunches are another great way to add resistance. Leg raises are great for the lower abs, but 99% of ppl cant do them correctly and use their hip flexors.
 
I had a feeling that the 1000 was overkill, but I did it religiously for two weeks and can say hand on heart that it has made a difference because I can feel the pack underneath the solid layer of fat :p

Like one of you suggested, Ill start doing my crunches with a weight on my chest. I reckon my posture and movement for the crunches is fine because whenever I do them I make sure that I am solely focusing on the stomach only (and bloody hell does it burn).

Any ideas whether or not getting the ab-flex/ab-roller will be worth it?
 
CLAWS said:
hand on heart that it has made a difference because I can feel the pack underneath the solid layer of fat :p

Any ideas whether or not getting the ab-flex/ab-roller will be worth it?
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Why are you so obsessed with your abs? If you do have that "layer of fat" you won't see them no matter how big they get. Also If you don't work your lower back properly you could be setting yourself up for some serious back pain in a few years.
 
WHOA WHOA WHOA.

1000 CRUNCHES!? AND EVERY NIGHT TO BOOT? STOP!

Assuming you're doing them correctly you really don't need to be doing more than 1, perhaps 2 sessions of ab work week.

And 1000? WAY too much, you only beed to be doing 3-4 sets of 10-12.

Jeesh man.

If standard crunches are too easy try holding a dumbell plate (or as many as you can do AND hold safely) on your chest.

And like these guys are saying, with a layer of fat over your abs, crunches are useless. Sure the abs will be developing under said fat, but you won't see them until you've gotten rid of the excess fat. Crunches DO NOT burn fat.
 
you will never have good abs that are visable until you lower your body fat% and you can only do that by eating proper foods with good excersize
 
slightly off topic but I was doing my crunches in the gym today and for the first time my lower back really started to hurt while doing them. I use an ab cradle.

Do I need to work on my lower back strength and if so what exercises would you guys recommend, cable rows?
 
I read/heard somewhere a while ago if you want a six-pack you'll get it easier doing 10-20 mins of cycling rather then thousands of crunches, like others have already said the crunches don't get rid of the fat, things like cycling and running do that.
 
I like 3 sets of 15-20 reps doing weighted ab work. Seems to do the job like 2-3 times a week. Never use to train my abs and when I dieted down there they were. Now training them to thicken the muscles and provide better stability for squats.
 
I read somewhere that if you can do more than 15 of an exercise in one set, then you're not working it enough to get maximum strength gains. I don't know if this is correct or not though.
So I would guess that doing 1000 in a day isn't going to give you abs like a male model. It'll just make you really good at doing 1000 crunches in a day.
 
1000 is crazy, I do 200 sit ups, every other night, and I thought that was a little overkill

Its not just crunches thatll get you a 6 pack, you need to do cardio to loose fat, if you have any, and also other exercises, youll look stupid if your a tiny wimp with a giant stomach, looks much better if you tone your own body and dont get stupidly out of proportion

having said that, 1000 crunches you must have abs of steel :eek:
 
Efaws said:
having said that, 1000 crunches you must have abs of steel :eek:
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Yes. My abs are pretty much solid as rock once you get past the wall of fat :p

Im not really too fussed about showing off my abs or anything because im not the type to go around taking my shirt off in the gym or anywhere else for that matter.

Eventually Ill be getting back into my martial arts (Muay Thai) where I suppose I could burn off the excess fat. The abs are being trained mainly for correct posture during other exercises.

None the less Ive taken on board what the majority of you have said. Ill quit with the 1000 every night. Ill start doing 3 sets of a few reps every other night with a weight on my chest.

What u reckon?
 
CLAWS said:
Eventually Ill be getting back into my martial arts (Muay Thai) where I suppose I could burn off the excess fat. The abs are being trained mainly for correct posture during other exercises.

What u reckon?
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I reckon you're heading for a world of pain!

Your body needs to be balanced and the most important place is your core, i.e. abs, obliques and lower back.

They all need strengthening the same amount or you will end up putting a strain on the weaker muscles and you will end up with an injury. Another common example of this is people training their quads hard and neglecting their hamstrings... just asking for trouble.

This is a good balanced workout for someone who really feels the need to train their abs this way. I perform just one of these exercises as a warm down after my workouts but I only do 2 sets and only perform them once per week as I do Deadlifts and Squats and they're far superior for working your core ;)

Weighted Crunches 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Hanging Leg Raises 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Twisting Crunches or Side Bends 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Hyperextentions 3-4 sets 10-15 reps

Start off each one with no weight and concentrate on perfect form for first week, then gradually add weight (1-2kg) each workout/ week. You will progress very quickly if you stick with it. ;)
 
Chong Warrior said:
Weighted Crunches 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Hanging Leg Raises 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Twisting Crunches or Side Bends 3-4 sets 10-15 reps
Hyperextentions 3-4 sets 10-15 reps

Start off each one with no weight and concentrate on perfect form for first week, then gradually add weight (1-2kg) each workout/ week. You will progress very quickly if you stick with it. ;)
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I like the looks of the routine but - hyperextensions? Sorry to sound so noob but are these known by some other name by chance? If not, what are they i.e. how are they done?
 
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