Are crunches a waste of time?

Coco_Puff · February 2012

I keep reading that what we eat and strength training is the solution to changing your body, that you can't spot reduce. So, does that mean sit-ups, ab rollers, all the stuff would be considered useless?

SageGoddess320 · February 2012

ummm....I'm gonna go with NO.

japruzze · February 2012

I hope not or I've been wasting time doing 200 every other day!

jennalink807 · February 2012

no exercise is useless. If its raising your heart rate and/or working a muscle group- then it's useful. I think the point of saying you "can't spot reduce" is just to help people understand that if you do 1000 crunches a day, the weight isn't just going to come off your stomach. It will also come off your butt, thighs, arms... etc. That being said- all exercise can be helpful to weight loss- so go for it!

AntWrig · February 2012

I keep reading that what we eat and strength training is the solution to changing your body, that you can't spot reduce. So, does that mean sit-ups, ab rollers, all the stuff would be considered useless?

"Beyond the first 6 to 8 weeks of training there is really not much merit to direct ab work. Just focus on compound lifts like squats and deadlifts."

http://www.simplyshredded.com/stefan-the-lean-machine-ianev-talks-with-simplyshredded-com.html

He is Poliquin certified, so that means alot.

Anyway, diet and strength training. Squats will hit the abs, so will deadlifts.

UponThisRock · February 2012

Not completely useless.

Working the ab muscles directly won't reduce fat in the area, but it will make your abs look better once the fat is gone.

Anyone can benefit from increased core stability (although I don't think doing stuff like planks is necessarily the best way to go about it).

Also, many people are primarily working their hip flexors when they thing they're working their abs, but that's another can of worms.

Zalitharia · February 2012

I keep reading that what we eat and strength training is the solution to changing your body, that you can't spot reduce. So, does that mean sit-ups, ab rollers, all the stuff would be considered useless?

You aren't reducing fat specifically in your stomach by doing crunches, etc. What you are doing is building muscles in that area, and exercising to lose fat everywhere.

Peeeeeeeeeej · February 2012

Crunches are definitely not a waste of time. However doing JUST crunches would be a waste of time.
First off, working out your core (upper abs, lower abs, obliques, and lower back) is very important as it will make your strength training and cardio that much stronger. Your core is involved in everything that you do - so having a stronger core will make you a stronger person.

To work out your core though you have to realize that muscles work in tandems, and working out just one set of muscles and not the other is going to produce poor results.

I am a firm believer in doing core workouts EVERY time I hit the gym (if not everyday) but you should make sure you hit every muscle in your core. Basic crunches mostly target upper abs so you're going to have to do more.

Look around the internet for different ab exercises and make a routine up for yourself. A good starting routine which I used for a few weeks and saw great results (I can do more pullups, i can run harder, i.e.) went something like this:

Bicycle Crunch - 20 reps (upper abs and upper obliques)
Hanging Leg Raises - 15 reps (lower abs)
Side (oblique) Crunches - 10 reps per side - with the last rep held till failure (obliques - raise those legs and keep them slightly bent to really work out the lower obliques)
Supermans - 15 reps (lower back)

My general workout routine starts like this:
20 minutes strength training (split into three groups for three different days- Chest and Shoulders: Back and Arms: Legs)
20 minutes of AB workout
20 minutes of moderate cardio

Since following this program plus tracking my calories I've went from 215 to 192 in the span of about 3 months.

So yes do your crunches! But dont do JUST crunches!!!!

P.S. stay away from most machines when doing ABs - they never work out your abs as strong as you can!

HotKanye · February 2012

I hope not or I've been wasting time doing 200 every other day!

If you can do 200 it means it isn't hard enough for you. When you can do a significant amount of an exercise it means you're just working on endurance, not strength. Find ways to make it harder. There are progressive versions of most body weight exercises. So if you're doing crunches with your feet up and arms above your head you will want to look into standing ab work with a kettle bell or resistance band or inversions. All kinds of options but doing a million reps of an easy exercise isn't going to help you. Step up your game.

And to answer the OP...maybe not useless but probably not the most efficient either. Primarily if you want abs you need to lose body fat all over. There are many compound exercises that will work your core in addition to other muscles at the same time and not be as hard on your back as crunches can be. Squats are great and so are planks and they won't just be working your abs or have you laying on your back on the floor for so long. Remember, we say that you can't spot *reduce* but you can work out different muscles to make them stronger. You just need to lose fat everywhere in order for anyone to see those muscles!

engineman312 · February 2012

if you really want to target your abs with a crunch, try doing them on a swiss ball, like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVBddP5oW8Y you get a much better range of motion, and actually use your abs, and not your lower back and neck.

i always see people at my gym doing all kinds of floor ab exercises. they're just working their neck.

Nopedotjpeg · February 2012

Useless? No. Useless for what you're wanting? Yes.

addisondisease2 · February 2012

does that mean sit-ups, ab rollers, all the stuff would be considered useless?

Compared to squats and dead-lifts?

yes.

erickirb · February 2012

I keep reading that what we eat and strength training is the solution to changing your body, that you can't spot reduce. So, does that mean sit-ups, ab rollers, all the stuff would be considered useless?

They are useless for weight loss. But they are good for strengthening the core. A strong core will help you perform better in almost every facet of everyday life.

UponThisRock · February 2012

Bicycle Crunch - 20 reps (upper abs and upper obliques)
Hanging Leg Raises - 15 reps (lower abs)
Side (oblique) Crunches - 10 reps per side - with the last rep held till failure (obliques - raise those legs and keep them slightly bent to really work out the lower obliques)
Supermans - 15 reps (lower back)

^^^This is the kind of thing that's a waste of time, IMO. Doing the basic barbell lifts, with a few heavy sets a week if you're so inclined, is plenty.

Bronx_Montgomery · February 2012

I have been very negligent on my abs and am trying to get back to doing Ab Ripper X. I am trying to get back to 3-4 times a week but have only been able to do 1-2

UponThisRock · February 2012

if you really want to target your abs with a crunch, try doing them on a swiss ball, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVBddP5oW8Y you get a much better range of motion, and actually use your abs, and not your lower back and neck.

^^^^This. Makes it very easy to take your hips out of the equation as well.

Shanna_Inc86 · February 2012

On their own...yes...part of a routine no they aren't

However, like everyone else has said...it has to be an overall mixture of cardio and strength.
Yesterday I did an insanity workout that did not include one crunch, yet my ENTIRE core is sore today lol

triciaj66 · February 2012

if you really want to target your abs with a crunch, try doing them on a swiss ball, like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVBddP5oW8Y you get a much better range of motion, and actually use your abs, and not your lower back and neck.

i always see people at my gym doing all kinds of floor ab exercises. they're just working their neck.

Yes !! doing them on a Swiss ball rocks !! Add weights as well when they get easier !!

Symphony2 · February 2012

Absolutely not!!! It's true that you cannot spot-reduce, but if you have solid, firm muscles UNDERNEATH the fat, once your nutrition kicks in and the pounds come off, the lean muscle that you've built up by doing those crunches is what's going to give you that 'spot-reduction' kind of look!! In fact, crunches and plank are probably the best abs exercises you can do. Sit-ups - in the world of abs - are the closest you'll get to a waste of time, because they don't work your core and are completely un-functional. They serve absolutely no purpose except to give you that six-pack beachbody look - and yes, THEN they're useful - but in terms of building your core, it's crunches and planks all the way!!

But - as somebody else has already said - if you can push out hundreds of crunches, you need to step them up to a different level to get the required effect.

Happy crunching!!

x

addisondisease2 · February 2012

Bicycle Crunch - 20 reps (upper abs and upper obliques)
Hanging Leg Raises - 15 reps (lower abs)

Hanging Leg Raises - 15 reps (lower abs)

lower abs

HAHA I see what you did there!

zafferFL · February 2012

nothing is a waste of time (unless you are doing something to injure yourself)

BUT, wouldn't you rather use the time you have at the gym more effectively? There's a lot of exercises that work your core AND other parts of your body. I want to be in and out of the gym as quickly as possible.

Peeeeeeeeeej · February 2012

Bicycle Crunch - 20 reps (upper abs and upper obliques)
Hanging Leg Raises - 15 reps (lower abs)
Side (oblique) Crunches - 10 reps per side - with the last rep held till failure (obliques - raise those legs and keep them slightly bent to really work out the lower obliques)
Supermans - 15 reps (lower back)

^^^This is the kind of thing that's a waste of time, IMO. Doing the basic barbell lifts, with a few heavy sets a week if you're so inclined, is plenty.

How is this a waste of time - ever since I've added core workouts to my workout regimen, my bench, my squats (if my knee isn't bothering me), my lifts, my pullups - everything that I do has gotten incredibly stronger - the problem is that if you don't have a strong core - you'll never be that strong - and a lot of people who aren't physically fit (i.e. they are an athlete) have weak cores

Fit_Forever25 · February 2012

Not at all .. if you keep your heart rate up by mixing them with some cardio exercises for 1-2 mins then they works magically.
I always mix these low intensity exercises with cardio or modify them with some dumbells or Swiss balls.
I think they work pretty well.

KLK1986 · February 2012

Not totally useless! Once the fat is gone, they help you define your ab muscles a bit more. Believe me, my fiance's abs say it all, lol!

atomiclauren · February 2012

I'll echo what others have mentioned and add something Jackie Warner has mentioned, and it has to do directly with what your goal is:

Crunches are not going to change your body shape at all. Diet is the key. If you don't change your diet, then doing crunches will add only muscle to your shape and can actually make you appear larger. The best exercises for changing your body shape and strengthening the core is to do push-ups and weighted squats.

Are crunches a waste of time?

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