How to Do Crunches Correctly and Common Mistakes You Should Avoid

Learning the correct way to do crunches is important for getting good results and staying safe. When you follow the right steps, you can build stronger stomach muscles without hurting your back or neck. Here is how to do crunches step by step:

Step 1: Get into position

Lie on your back on the floor. You can use a yoga mat to make it more comfortable. Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the ground. Your feet should be about as wide as your hips.

Step 2: Place your hands correctly

Cross your arms over your chest or put your hands behind your head. If you put your hands behind your head, be gentle and don't pull on your neck. Your fingers should only support your head lightly.

Step 3: Engage your stomach muscles

Take a deep breath in. Pull your belly button toward your spine. This helps your stomach muscles get ready to work.

Step 4: Lift your shoulders

Breathe out as you slowly lift your shoulders off the ground. Only lift them about 1-2 inches. You don't need to sit all the way up. Keep your chin up and your neck straight.

Step 5: Hold and lower

Hold this position for a few seconds. You should feel your stomach muscles working. Then slowly lower your shoulders back down, but don't relax completely.

Step 6: Repeat

Do this movement 15 to 20 times. Keep your movements slow and controlled. Focus on using your stomach muscles, not your neck or arms.

There is an ongoing debate about whether crunches are safe for everyone to do. Some fitness experts say crunches are good exercises, while others worry they might hurt your spine. This discussion has been happening for many years in the fitness world.

According to a study by Schoenfeld and Kolber in the Strength and Conditioning Journal, the safety of crunches depends on several things. The researchers explain that some studies show crunches might damage the discs in your spine. These studies used pig spines and put them through thousands of bending movements. However, these tests were very different from how real people do crunches.

The study points out that crunches may not be safe for people who already have back problems, disc herniation, or spine issues. For these people, the bending movement might make their pain worse. However, for people with healthy spines, crunches can be safe when done correctly with proper form and not too many repetitions. The researchers suggest that there are no "bad" exercises, only wrong ways to do them for certain people.

Crunches are a simple exercise that can give you many benefits beyond just stronger stomach muscles. Most people think crunches only work the abs, but this exercise can help your body in several different ways. Here are several benefits of crunch exercise according to the Decathlon Blog:

1. Strengthen Your Ab Muscles

Crunches work the rectus abdominis, which are the muscles that run down your stomach. These are the muscles people call the "six-pack." Strong stomach muscles help you stand up straight and support your body during daily activities.

2. Cost-Effective Exercise

You don't need expensive equipment or a gym membership to do crunches. You can do them at home with just your body weight. Even if you get stronger and need more challenge, you can hold a heavy book or backpack against your chest.

3. Improve Heart Health

Crunches make your heart work harder because they require effort. When you do crunches regularly, your heart gets stronger and works better. This helps your whole cardiovascular system become healthier.

4. Can Be Done Anywhere

You can do crunches in your bedroom, living room, garden, or any flat space. You don't need to travel to a gym or special location. This makes it easy to exercise even when you're busy or traveling.

5. Simple to Learn

Unlike some complicated exercises, crunches are easy to learn. Most people can do them correctly on their first try. You just need to remember to keep your lower back on the ground and move slowly.

6. Better Six-Pack Appearance

Regular crunches can help make your stomach muscles more visible. Combined with a healthy diet that reduces body fat, crunches can help you develop the appearance many people want.

Once you master the basic crunch, you can try different variations to make your workouts more interesting and challenge different muscles. These variations can help you avoid boredom and work your stomach muscles in new ways. Here are some popular crunch variations you can try:

1. Reverse Crunch

Instead of lifting your shoulders, you lift your legs and pull your knees toward your chest. This works the lower part of your stomach muscles more than regular crunches.

2. Bicycle Crunch

This combines a regular crunch with a twisting movement. You bring your elbow to the opposite knee, like you're riding a bicycle. This works both your front stomach muscles and your side muscles.

3. Exercise Ball Crunch

You do crunches while lying on a large exercise ball. This makes the exercise harder because you need to balance, and it can be easier on your back than doing crunches on the floor.

4. Oblique Crunch

You lie on your side and lift your torso upward. This targets the muscles on the sides of your stomach, which help you bend sideways and rotate your body.

5. Tuck Crunch

You lift your shoulders and pull your knees to your chest at the same time. This works both the upper and lower parts of your stomach muscles together.

Many people make mistakes when doing crunches, which can make the exercise less effective or even cause injury. Even people who exercise regularly sometimes do crunches wrong without knowing it. According to the Fitbod Blog, here are the most common mistakes people make when doing crunches:

1. Using Too Much Momentum

Many people swing their arms or use fast movements to get more repetitions. This takes work away from your stomach muscles and spreads the effort to other parts of your body. Keep your movements slow and controlled.

2. Not Keeping Lower Back on the Floor

Your lower back should stay pressed against the ground during the entire exercise. When your back arches up, it puts stress on your spine and makes the exercise less effective for your stomach muscles.

3. Not Lifting with the Abs

Some people don't focus on using their stomach muscles to do the movement. You should feel your abs working throughout the exercise. If you don't feel them, slow down and concentrate on the muscles you're trying to work.

4. Not Controlling the Lowering Portion

Many people let gravity pull them back down quickly after lifting up. Instead, you should lower yourself slowly and with control. This makes each repetition more effective and protects your back.

5. Not Pausing at the Top

Taking a short pause when your shoulders are lifted helps you get a better muscle contraction. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds before lowering down to make each repetition more effective.