Crunches

laurenk182004

So, I've just started working on my post baby abs..ick..anyways, I've been doing 25 crunches a day to start because I didn't want to be too sore, but I'm not sore at all so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong?

laurenk182004

So, I've just started working on my post baby abs..ick..anyways, I've been doing 25 crunches a day to start because I didn't want to be too sore, but I'm not sore at all so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong?

icandoit

Invest in a bender ball. They make a huge difference. I use a half ball at the gym and a big ball at home. I started with 100 and then went up and then added a medicine ball. Sore is good.

greekgyrl02

Do planks, and leg lifts too, try some pilates, when your do your crunches hold some weight on your chest and try it

laurenk182004

Thanks Maybe I just need to do more...lol I hate doing them though.

peej76

You are probably already doing this, but make sure your contracting your abs, it makes a really big difference.

banks1850

Do planks, and leg lifts too, try some pilates, when your do your crunches hold some weight on your chest and try it

Planks so suck (doing the 1 handed ones now, my wife is a slave driver!)! But very good for the abs. I'm also doing ( forget what these are called, gg help me out with the name will ya, but I saw them in a mens health book and tried it and MAN do they work) this funky thing where you rest your shins on a stability ball with your hands on the floor like a push up, then you roll the ball so the tips of your toes are on the top, and rais your butt up a little. It's BRUTAL on the abs but I'll tell you what, do 10 of those for 15 seconds each and you won't worry about crunches anymore.
I just found a picture of it, I guess it's called a pike.

http://www.criticalbench.com/exercises/stability-ball-pike.htm

yellow_pepper

Try the following ab workout - it's really good for strengthening and relieving pain in the back, too:

Repeat 3 times:

20 upper crunches, both feet on floor, raising shoulder blades off floor - hold one second at top
20 left-side crunches, right foot on left knee, twist left elbow to right knee, hold one second at top
20 right-side crunches, left foot on right knew, twist left elbow to right knee, hold one second at top
20 lower ab crunches, leave upper body on the floor and "roll" lower back slowly until hips are off floor

The point is to do multiple sets that contract different muscles, always with slow, controlled motions.

Use only your body weight until the above feels easy. Adding additional weight too quickly will only stress your neck and back leading to pain and missed workouts.

yellow_pepper

I'm also doing ( forget what these are called, gg help me out with the name will ya, but I saw them in a mens health book and tried it and MAN do they work) this funky thing where you rest your shins on a stability ball with your hands on the floor like a push up, then you roll the ball so the tips of your toes are on the top, and rais your butt up a little. It's BRUTAL on the abs but I'll tell you what, do 10 of those for 15 seconds each and you won't worry about crunches anymore.
I just found a picture of it, I guess it's called a pike.

http://www.criticalbench.com/exercises/stability-ball-pike.htm

Those are great, too. And less likely to cause neck strain. Your eyes you be mostly gazing down and your neck in alignment with your spine when you do this exercise. Don't try to watch in the mirror.

Likewise for crunches. Try to keep your neck in alignment with your spine. This also ensures that the contraction is moving from your abs upward, rather than from your head downward.

kerrilucko

Hey greekgyrlo2, don't take this the wrong way but you have an AMAZING body... wow, and I like the tatoo

laurenk182004

Hey! Thanks for all the help What exactly are planks? Sorry..I'm kind of new to the ab exercises..well most exercises actually! lol

DjBliss05

20 upper crunches, both feet on floor, raising shoulder blades off floor - hold one second at top
20 left-side crunches, right foot on left knee, twist left elbow to right knee, hold one second at top
20 right-side crunches, left foot on right knew, twist left elbow to right knee, hold one second at top
20 lower ab crunches, leave upper body on the floor and "roll" lower back slowly until hips are off floor

I do a routine similar to this. I'll also do crunches with my legs in the air. I also think bicycle crunches are awesome...

http://www.criticalbench.com/exercises/bicycle-crunch.htm

and using a large exercise ball is a new one I just learned in my aerobics class. We did about 30 and I wasn't able to laugh for two days because it hurt so bad! At least I can laugh about it now, ha!

If you can, join some group aerobics classes. They are great places to learn new exercises that you can use at home, too.

banks1850

Hey! Thanks for all the help What exactly are planks? Sorry..I'm kind of new to the ab exercises..well most exercises actually! lol

here is a picture of planks, they look innocuous, but try one for 30 seconds and you'll understand.

http://bodyweightworkout.wordpress.com/2007/04/14/the-plank-a-core-exercise/

this guy isn't really doing it all that great, arms should be paralel with the body but other then that...

Healthier_Me

Hey greekgyrlo2, don't take this the wrong way but you have an AMAZING body... wow, and I like the tatoo

I agree!!! I said, "Wow!" when I saw her pic.

~Joanna:flowerforyou:

FatDancer

Don't forget about bellydance for a total body workout combined with cardio...nothing will tighten the entire core/girdle and the rest of your body like bellydance!

laurenk182004

Thanks for the link, I'm definately going to try that I do like to dance as well, so maybe I'll try some of that too! I think that the ab workout posted is a little too hard 4 me at this point, but I wrote it down and hopefully I'll get some core strength and be able to do it!