Waste of time doing crunches with significant belly fat?

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  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
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    Also, crunches can hurt your neck and/or lower back if you do them too often. Try planks, side planks and mountain climbers to mix it up.
    That's interesting. I currently do them every other day. Would you say that's too often or a good amount of time in between?
  • Choclat_Pearl
    Choclat_Pearl Posts: 166 Member
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    What a great question. Many great responses. I am sort of in the same boat. I had been doing regular situps 240 per day since June 30th wasn't really giving myself a break period I was so determined... I was starting to think it was a waste of time also, but I am so used to doing them now.

    Today, I did an AB workout using a resistance band and, I felt the burn right away I am going to switch it up and use that for a while.
    I am excited again.

    MzBHavin
  • Kellllog
    Kellllog Posts: 81 Member
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    I carry most of my fat in the midsection, so I've been focusing on cardio to help burn that off....It seems (to me and my super short-sightedness) that crunches are a waste of time until I can actually see results.

    I actually saw better results doing push ups (got through week 5 of the 100 push up challenge before I went on vacation). Please don't ask me to explain how doing push ups worked my core - but it did, honestly. I don't have a 6 pack now or anything, but I def started seeing more of a waist and I could feel the burn in my abs and such.

    Do you have a link to the 100 push-up challenge? Sounds interesting!
  • Tree72
    Tree72 Posts: 942 Member
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    Definitely keep doing core exercises. I do various crunches, sit-ups, planks, and leg lifts to mix it up and hit all various parts of the abdominals. Having a strong core will make it easier (and less painful) to do many cardio exercises too. It's much easier to run and to have better form on the stair mill and elliptical if you have a strong core to support you.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Personally, I think crunches are pretty much a waste of time, whether you have belly fat or not.

    I don't consider crunches to really be "core" exercises.

    If you are trying to lose belly fat, there are lots of different exercises that would be a better use of time than doing crunches. Heck, 10 more minutes of cardio would be better, as would more resistance exercises using combo moves and large muscle groups.

    It's hard to go into specifics since I don't know the rest of your workout or your current level of exercise experience, but, given the weight you have to lose, I would not waste time doing any crunches. You can incorporate "core" training into a variety of different exercises that will also help you build strength at the same time.
  • Keefypoos
    Keefypoos Posts: 231 Member
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    ^^^ What they said. PLUS... you're still building muscle which will help you burn more calories overall. :bigsmile: b

    cool I'm intreged just what sort of extra calorie burn might i expect?


    Depends on the person, but it's been widely researched and published that building muscle boosts metabolism.

    thanks I did some research and its about 6 Kcals per lb per day

    http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-many-calories-does-muscle-really-burn-and-why-its-not-about-calories-anyway/

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