Crunches - Will they get easier?

Dozrzz
Dozrzz Posts: 245
edited December 19 in Fitness and Exercise
Oh my word, I was seriously feeling my muscles yesterday after my first full personal training session on Wednesday! We worked mostly on my legs with luncges, squats, etc. But then towards the end she had me try a little work on my core. She had me do bridges which I could do. All it was, was laying on your back with your legs bent and you basically lift up your butt and stomach. Those weren't bad. But then she wanted to see how many crunches I could do................I got nothin! No core muscles anywhere! I think any muscles that were supposed to be in my core area are long gone! hahahaha I felt really dumb trying to do these crunches and I could barely get my shoulders off the ground. I felt like moving them so little that it really was going to help much. Will those stupid crunches get easier to do? Is there something I can do to make them easier?

My trainer said I was doing fine and that it will get better but I mean really, am I ever going to have any sort of core strength?
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Replies

  • mslack01
    mslack01 Posts: 823 Member
    Yes, you will! I could barely do one at first and I can do fifty now. Just keep trying. The nice thing is that it is something you can do at home too. Try doing ten a day at home. Even if you can't make it to ten, just try.
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    Yeah, I am going to start working on them at home, probably when I wake up in the mornings. It just feels silly when I am really not getting that far! hahah
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    You'll be able to do a ton of crunches in no time, and then stop gaining any benefit from them. This will probably happen in a couple of weeks. Good time to move on to dead bugs.

    If you REALLY want a strong core, though, deadlifts and squats are the way to go. Your ab muscles are designed to work isometrically.
  • AlyRoseNYC
    AlyRoseNYC Posts: 1,075 Member
    I have two extra vertebrae in my lower back, so I can't even do ten of them without feeling sharp pains. I've found that the least painful ab wrokouts are the ones where I am not laying flat on my back. Even doing them on an exercise ball helps.
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    It seemed like most of what we did were lunges and squats....but that may just be because I really felt those! haha front lunges, side lunges, squats with weights, squats with medicine ball, then also lots of steps like up and down on the raised platform thingy hahaha some with weights, some without.... We fit so much into the hour that I really can't even remember it all!
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    Crunches get easy really fast. They are a very low load exercise. Last time I did them, at rep #100 I gave up out of boredom.

    Once they get easy you can switch to bicycle crunches for a much more difficult but similar exercise.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    If you REALLY want a strong core, though, deadlifts and squats are the way to go. Your ab muscles are designed to work isometrically.

    If you want a really, really strong core do flags and levers.
  • ActiveGuy81
    ActiveGuy81 Posts: 705 Member
    Yes they will get easier and you will be increasing the intensity as your abs and you get stronger. You will add more and do them with arms raised, weights and other methods of increasing the intensity. Just keep doing them!
  • StarkLark
    StarkLark Posts: 476 Member
    Crunches get easy really fast. They are a very low load exercise. Last time I did them, at rep #100 I gave up out of boredom.

    Once they get easy you can switch to bicycle crunches for a much more difficult but similar exercise.

    THIS. Crunches used to be awful for me. Now I can do a ton and bicycle crunches are my worst enemy haha. It's all a journey, you have to start somewhere.... and YOU HAVE! Well done, stick with it :drinker:
  • bettyboop573
    bettyboop573 Posts: 610 Member
    Yes they get easier!!! Work on some planks at home they will help to strengthen your entire core :)
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    If you REALLY want a strong core, though, deadlifts and squats are the way to go. Your ab muscles are designed to work isometrically.

    Exactly. Crunches aren't really good ab exercises and they're not really a good use of time. Just do the squats and deads instead and you will be getting an equal ab workout while also working out lots of other muscles.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    YES
  • skybird455
    skybird455 Posts: 172 Member
    i found your core muscles...right beside my triceps!! jerks ran off together!
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Oh god I hope so for me too :wink:
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    Yes they get easier!!! Work on some planks at home they will help to strengthen your entire core :)

    Ahh yes, planks were the other thing we did. -_- That one was not cool! Dislike!!! :noway: hahahaha but yeah, I can see how working on those would be very helpful!
  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
    I'm not sure I will ever be able to do them, I've had four children adn after the twins were born sit-ups and crunches became very difficult, almost impossible for me.
  • Dozrzz
    Dozrzz Posts: 245
    i found your core muscles...right beside my triceps!! jerks ran off together!

    Hahhaha! Yup stupid muscles!
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    you will get core strength. I think the best way to build core strength is not with crunches, but with planks!
  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    Embark on http://www.twohundredsitups.com/ program!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    They do get easier. I've been doing a variety of different crunches (regular, full sit-ups, bicycles, knees to 90 degrees, etc.) for 5 years and I can do a zillion situps. I have a lot of core strength.

    Caveats:
    1) As has been said... Crunches are not the most efficient core workout. They are good but not great. Planking and other isometric exercises are harder, but probably more efficient.
    2) YOU DO NOT REALLY NEED TO DO 'CORE' EXERCISES IF YOU ARE LIFTING WEIGHTS! If you are lifting correctly, your core muscles are engaged in your lift and you're getting a core workout no matter what.
  • Tandksmommy11
    Tandksmommy11 Posts: 399 Member
    I'm not sure I will ever be able to do them, I've had four children adn after the twins were born sit-ups and crunches became very difficult, almost impossible for me.

    I have much of the same problem. I was told that my stomach muscles split and after having 2 c-sections they are even in worse shape. Supposedly the only way to get them to go 'back' would be surgery? It's pretty uncomfortable for me to do crunches. And not just the way underused msucle pain, actual pain.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    I've been doing planks and situps, but I can't do a crunch to save my life. I'm continuing to work on it, though, and I may have the PT here at work (workplace freebie!) help me out with form because I'm almost certainly doing it wrong.

    Core work just plain sucks to me, so I've been avoiding it too long. My cardio is great, my upper body strength is coming along, but my back and belly just seem so hard to work on.

    Good to know it's attainable. I'll keep plugging at it.
  • BubbleGumKisses
    BubbleGumKisses Posts: 156 Member
    i found your core muscles...right beside my triceps!! jerks ran off together!


    ^^^LMAO :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • suzqmf
    suzqmf Posts: 36 Member
    They are hard for me too. I am putting my legs up on an exercise ball, then doing them. Much easier. Went from only 25 to 50 in one day.

    Planks and squats (with same ball between me and the wall on my back) are the other things I do.

    Planks are HARD for me. I can hold it for about 10 sec and did 2 or 3 this morning....
  • cbeutler
    cbeutler Posts: 667 Member
    At some point if you keep exercising long enough you mindset will shift from hating to do the hard exercises to wanting to challenge yourself with them.

    Given a choice of two exercises by the trainer I always pick the one that is harder for me.

    Good luck, oh yes planks, you will love them eventually.
  • hpsaucette
    hpsaucette Posts: 102 Member
    OP; I feel your pain, almost literally from yesterdays crunches, I've got better in the last two weeks so much so that I can do double what I could originally (be it still in the tiny amounts)

    As a small side note, whilst doing bicycle crunches are you supposed to keep your head raised all the time, unlike sit-ups/crunches where you lower it back down to the ground?
  • twogirlsmama
    twogirlsmama Posts: 45 Member
    I prefer to do my crunches on my exercise ball. More of my body is engaged and I have to balance while my kids attempt to knock me down. Have a small child? They make a great hold on a plank when they are crawling under you too! You won't drop if your going to squish your kid. Keep up the good work!
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    Planks are HARD for me. I can hold it for about 10 sec and did 2 or 3 this morning....

    I'm starting to like planks. Not because they actually are pleasant to do, but because I can actually feel muscles now where the planks tend to hurt. So where they hurt now might end up with a little muscle too. One can hope... :)

    I'm up to about 30 seconds, and that's taken me a while. I started at about 5-6 seconds.

    I can manage about 4 of them at 30 seconds now with a 20-second break in between. But people start arguing whether I'm turning red, purple, or royal blue by that point. And the floor mat gets really gross with sweat. Thank goodness for cleaning solution and paper towels, or the other people who use the gym would hate me.

    I'm glad to see from previous posts that planks are an efficient core workout. I'll still work on my crunches, but I'll see how far I can take planks, too.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    It was your first session?

    Excuse the pun, but don't sweat it!

    I am certain that if you stick with an over all exercise regime that includes regular abdominal exercises. You will absolutely improve! And, kudos to your trainer for having you do bridges! This is a great way to stretch out your back. I do this pretty much every time I do any abdominal exercises.

    Have fun and keep at it!
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Yes. They get easier. I had no six pack. NOw I do. They are loved by me, my wife and anyone else who wants to gawk.
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