| While infomercials may want you to believe that | | | | should be rolled up to the top of the movement, |
| doing an abdominal crunch is anything short of | | | | using your abdominals to do the lifting. |
| impossible without the latest and greatest gadget, | | | | To execute the crunch accurately every time, |
| fact is you can get a great abdominal workout | | | | follow these easy steps. First, if possible, have |
| with absolutely no equipment at all. Unfortunately, | | | | something to keep your feet secure. This could |
| many people do abdominal crunches with poor | | | | be a partner or something weighing your feet |
| form, which could result in injury, or even worse, | | | | down. While it is not necessary to do a crunch, it |
| not working your abs effectively at all. | | | | will help beginners to keep from kicking and |
| There are three main mistakes people make | | | | maintaining proper form. Next, place your hands |
| when trying to perform the crunch. The first is | | | | gently behind your ears, barely touching the back |
| that they pull on their neck to get them up, | | | | of your head and keeping the shoulders relaxed. |
| rather than lift with the abdominals. In this | | | | Remember, that the arms are used mostly for |
| instance, the best you can get is a sore neck | | | | balance, and not to pull the head up into the |
| instead of strong abs. Another big mistake people | | | | crunch. Finally, as you perform the move, keep |
| make is not breathing through the exercise. When | | | | your head and neck aligned, using your abdominals |
| performing the crunch, always exhale up and | | | | to complete the move. When done correctly, you |
| inhale down. Finally, many people attempt to just | | | | lower back will not move off the floor, and there |
| lift themselves straight up rather than perform | | | | will be no head or neck strain. |
| the crunching motion. In a proper crunch the torso | | | | |