cant do a crunch or situp

cairee · February 2013

Im not fat or underweight, the rest of my body has decent muscle definition, but abs? what abs? every one says crunches build abs, but I simply cant do one! me attempting a crunch looks like a girl laying on her back with her hands behind her head. I cant come up at all. how do I get better at crunches?

Mokey41 · February 2013

Try doing planks. There's all kinds of variations of them online. Crunches and sit ups are really hard on your back and aren't actually that effective.

concordancia · February 2013

You aren't supposed to come all the way up with a crunch.it should look like a girl laying on the ground with her arms folded over her chest, trying to see something on the ceiling. Heck, you can even twist around to try to get a better view (oblique crunches)

Just start by getting your shoulders off the ground, hold for five counts, lower. Repeat.

Or, you could search for Pilates workouts.

insane5150 · February 2013

Try putting your feet under something heavy like a piece of furniture or have someone hold them down. That really helps me.

sunsnstatheart · February 2013

Just keep trying.

ChrisLindsay9 · February 2013

Try getting a stability ball and youtube some videos "crunches on stability ball" ... or if you're working out at a gym do leg raises instead.

89nunu · February 2013

I personally think that planks are a lot harder than crunches, but that might be because my shoulder don't seem to have any muscles... but if you really don't get up when your trying a crunch maybe start with high knees when standing up.

JediMaster_intraining · February 2013

you just have to keep doing them. :flowerforyou: and i agree that pilates can help with both flexibility and core strength

eevincheezburger · February 2013

In crossfit, sit-ups are sometimes part of our workouts. I've never been able to do one sit-up in my life. A month later, after starting out from the very beginning, I can do a bunch. Start out with having your feet stabilized, like under a couch, to keep you centered. Then you can build up some preliminary abs to help you learn how to do them without it.

Also, if there is any fat on your stomach, it's unlikely that doing any kind of ab workouts will help you see it. That comes with a clean diet and fat loss. If you have a nice, flat stomach though, you will begin seeing results soon enough.

Amlynnskie · February 2013

I do a totally different type of sit up/crunch, and it really strengthens your abs. I stand w my feet shoulder with apart, bend my arms up at the elbow with my finger tips on my shoulders and lift one knee at a time to meet the opposite elbow.... It's easier than a regular crunch / sit up, and it works

teelynn35 · February 2013

Try doing planks. There's all kinds of variations of them online. Crunches and sit ups are really hard on your back and aren't actually that effective.

yes, planks!!!

megsmom2 · February 2013

Keep working on those abs...it will happen. Be careful doing old style sit ups and crunches....its easy to hurt your neck if you lock your hands behind it.

KenosFeoh · February 2013

Practice crunches with your arms crossed over your chest. It's a lot less hard on the neck. There are a variety of standing movements that target the abdominals as well.

cordianet · February 2013

Try doing planks. There's all kinds of variations of them online. Crunches and sit ups are really hard on your back and aren't actually that effective.

I agree with this poster. Do some research and you'll see that crunches & situps are not that way to go. The main purpose of your core is to provide stability to the rest of your body so it can do all the things we want it to do (like lift heavy stuff). Repeated contractile motions (crunches & situps), don't help increase stability nearly as well as exercises that focus on keeping your core stressed, but still.

Proper core stability exercises are generally broken down into 2 types, static stability and dynamic stability. Planks are an example of static stability exercises, and dynamic stability exercises would be things like Spiderman planks and mountain climbers using Valslides. Note the difference between a dynamic stability exercise and something like a crunch is that in a dynamic stability exercise, the abs are static, while your center of gravity changes in some way.

sgtrowley · February 2013

Just keep at. Can also try flutter kicks.

Vailara · February 2013

I hate sit-ups and crunches! Years ago, I had very strong abs without doing any situps and crunches and I'm trying to build them up again, whilst still skipping the abs and crunches!

If you do heavy lifting, I've read that squats are good for abs. I'm doing bodyweight exercises at the moment, and the whole body exercises are exercising abs as well. As others have said, planks will work your abs, and so will other exercises - you don't really need to have to do separate exercises just for them, as far as I understand.

ChrisLindsay9 · February 2013

I just did front squats for the first time since I've started weight training (almost a year). And I started with light weight, and I really felt my abs working. If you do weight training, you may want to incorporate that into your routine. A small 20-30 lbs. barbell may be all that it takes.

SJ46 · February 2013

Try doing planks. There's all kinds of variations of them online. Crunches and sit ups are really hard on your back and aren't actually that effective.

I agree with this poster. Do some research and you'll see that crunches & situps are not that way to go. The main purpose of your core is to provide stability to the rest of your body so it can do all the things we want it to do (like lift heavy stuff). Repeated contractile motions (crunches & situps), don't help increase stability nearly as well as exercises that focus on keeping your core stressed, but still.

Proper core stability exercises are generally broken down into 2 types, static stability and dynamic stability. Planks are an example of static stability exercises, and dynamic stability exercises would be things like Spiderman planks and mountain climbers using Valslides. Note the difference between a dynamic stability exercise and something like a crunch is that in a dynamic stability exercise, the abs are static, while your center of gravity changes in some way.

Yes, yes, yes! Listen to this guy. There are multitudes of plank variations, go check out google.

sally_jeffswife · February 2013

Try squatting low and twisting or even dancing and twisting. And also try putting one leg in front of you and both hands on either side of your head. Not behind your neck but on each side of your head and round your back and pull your elbows in forward. Alternate doing this with each leg in front. Or maybe try kettle bells there is alot of standing excercises you can do with kettlebells that will help lose weight on your stomach and the extra little bit of added weight your lifting will help ya alot. Or any type of lower body thing will help some with your stomach like more of stair stepper or excercise bike. Or just alot of dancing will help. Anytime you are moving your hips or moving your body around alot you will lose some weight.

cairee · February 2013

wow thanks for all the responses. Ive looked up a few standing ab workouts, I can actually do those and feel them working. Thanks!

april1445 · March 2013

if you lay with your butt up to a piece of furniture (the couch, say) and put your feet on the furniture so your knees and hips are at 90 degree angles, it takes you hip flexors out of the movement. That helps.

cant do a crunch or situp

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