Check Points
- Brace the abs ready for the lift.
- Don’t lift the feet or back off the floor (in the standard crunch).
- Do keep the head still and chin up.
- Do lower under control and don’t flop.
- Remember to breathe normally.
- Don’t try to get the shoulders too high in the crunch and remember you don’t want the lower back to rise in this exercise. Think of the shoulder blades as the dividing line.
Crunch away and get those stomach muscles ready for anything. In fact, strengthening the abdominal muscles will prepare you not only for vigorous sporting activity but for those active tasks around the home, like gardening, where bending and twisting and reaching are paramount.
If you need to, check out the the top ten list and the basic training and safety information.
Congratulations bootcampers, you've nearly finished the complete full-body workout. After you do three sets of ten crunches you can head on over to the treadmill and give me three miles (4.8 kilometres) in 30 minutes including a tapered cool-down with stretches. Or you can save the cardio for another day if you've had enough. I talk more about mixing weights and cardio in my Circuit Fit program.
Don't forget to rehydrate with water or perhaps a sports drink, and refuel with some carbohydrate within about 30 minutes for best effect, particularly if you finished off with the cardio.
Watch the Exercise Gallery for additional and more advanced exercises.
