Help with Crunches

deannajf4
deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
edited January 8 in Fitness and Exercise
Hey! I have 4 kids all within 4.5 years of each other, so my mid section has been abused over the last few years to say the least! Anyway, now that I'm exercising (Jillian Michael's 30 day shred) I've been having trouble with crunches...no matter how much I focus on crunching my mid section, I can't stop my neck from doing most of the work. I seriously have minimal burn in my abs with almost no tightness the next day - proving that my abs didn't participate! :)

Any tips or advice, OR do I just need to keep trying until my abs are finally strong enough (and the belly flab down)??

Thanks!
Deanna

Replies

  • kimmiek1018
    kimmiek1018 Posts: 1
    Have you tried any stand up ab workouts?
  • cejames2010
    cejames2010 Posts: 3 Member
    I would like to know more about this stand up abs work out
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Crunches suck. Stop doing them. There are much, much, much better ab exercises.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I love JM's DVDs and would suggest Killer Abs and 6 Week 6 Pack to help work your core. At this point I am not sore the next day from them but I can definitely tell that the workouts are making a difference in my abs and my core is so much stronger than it used to be. My ballet teacher told us to do core workouts to help with our balance in class and she recommended these two DVDs.
  • denezy
    denezy Posts: 573 Member
    Relax your neck, stop pulling with your arms.

    The best advice someone gave me was to actually push your head INTO your hands. You'll feel a HUGE difference.
    Good luck :)
  • deannajf4
    deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
    I haven't heard of standing crunches! Should I google info on it? Interesting!
  • Bocch
    Bocch Posts: 191 Member
    I would like to recommend the following. 1) do leg lifts which includes hold the legs up for 60 seconds and doing 3 sets. then do leg lift flutter kicks. This will help the core become strong.
    Now, why do you really need to have your hands behind your neck or back of head? try to do the crunches with your hand/arms at your side. Lastly if you need to have your hands behind your head then make sure you always look up never put your chin down to your chest.
  • deannajf4
    deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
    I love JM's DVDs and would suggest Killer Abs and 6 Week 6 Pack to help work your core. At this point I am not sore the next day from them but I can definitely tell that the workouts are making a difference in my abs and my core is so much stronger than it used to be. My ballet teacher told us to do core workouts to help with our balance in class and she recommended these two DVDs.

    Thank you - maybe I'll download one of those and add it to my routine...I know it's not possible to spot reduce - but my mid section is the biggest area of my body right now, so it can't hurt to get going on the abs even before the fat is gone right??
  • deannajf4
    deannajf4 Posts: 223 Member
    I would like to recommend the following. 1) do leg lifts which includes hold the legs up for 60 seconds and doing 3 sets. then do leg lift flutter kicks. This will help the core become strong.
    Now, why do you really need to have your hands behind your neck or back of head? try to do the crunches with your hand/arms at your side. Lastly if you need to have your hands behind your head then make sure you always look up never put your chin down to your chest.

    Nice advice! I will try repositioning my hands...I'll look up the leg exercises you talk about and add them to my routine.
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223 Member
    Maybe you need to build up more core strength, before you can properly engage your abs for an effective crunch?
    I hope you arent putting your hands behind your head when you crunch.... big no no.

    Core exercises you can do aside from crunches (crunches are good though), are planks, swiss ball roll outs.

    start easy.....
  • nguk123
    nguk123 Posts: 223 Member
    also "stomach vacuum"
  • FitBeto
    FitBeto Posts: 2,121 Member
    also "stomach vacuum"

    Vacuum is more of a bodybuilder thing - working on ab control for poses, etc.

    If you want awesome abs, do heavy squats, deadlifts, leg raises, and pullups.
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
    I do my crunches on an exercise ball, that seems to be the only way I can make it burn without making my neck burn too...
  • 50sBeachWalking
    50sBeachWalking Posts: 63 Member
    I also do crunches on an exercise ball. I have it where I watch TV and when there is a sporting event or show I'm watching, I do crunches, stretching and balancing on the ball. There are so many exercised you can do on them especially for the core. It sure beats sitting on the lounge chair or couch watching TV. It's alot of fun, burns more calories, and see results in a short time if you play around on it for an hour or so watching The Voice.
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    crunches get kind of a bad rap. In reality, few exercises allow you to isolate your abs so easily. That being said, they don't do much on thier own and even poorly trained abs can do quite a high number of crunches before you start to get to failure.

    Recommend doing crunches as your LAST ab exercise. You'll approach positive failure much faster.

    Echo the fact that you do not have to have your hands behind or anywhere near your head. I make a fist and keep my fists about an inch away from my temples, never touching my face.

    Google hanging knee raises or hanging leg raises. No more effective ab exercises but you need something to hang from. They will appear to be identical to leg raises done from the 'seatless chair' dip apparatus that i'm sure you see people doing at the gym. Hanging from a bar allows you to engage the abs more.

    Finally, think of drawing your belly in just below your navel, like if you were in the midst of a deep, gut busting belly laugh, or the end of the deepest exhale you can muster. If you sort of simulate this state in your midsection as you do any ab exercises, you should feel your abs engaging more.

    But honestly, it was years before i could say 'yes, i'm defeintly engaging my abs' or 'nope, not engaging them too well'. You have to develope a certain amount of strength in your abs before you can really tell that your not hitting them in my opinion.
  • stepherzzzzz
    stepherzzzzz Posts: 469 Member
    Try doing planks instead. It works your core without putting strain on your neck.
  • carriebailey72
    carriebailey72 Posts: 75 Member
    I'm had the same problem until I built up muscle. It would totally kill my neck. I started doing them on an exercise ball it kept my neck from hurting.
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
    Agree with others. Do more general core work--plank, side plank, standing exercises.
    Here's a circuit that is pretty good
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfjDTirdyIg
  • sandradev1
    sandradev1 Posts: 786 Member
    Years ago a PT told me to imagine there is a large melon under your chin. As you come up do not let that space get any smaller. Look up at the ceiling directly above you and as another poster said...... DO NOT put your hands behind your head, if near your head at all, your finger tips should only be touching behind your ears.

    This worked the first time I tried it and I have never since had any neck problem with any type of crunch or sit up.
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