Striving for the perfect figure, we often include the popular “crunches” in our training. This exercise is very popular among both men and women. However, it happens that we do not always perform them correctly, as a result of which we burden the cervical and lumbar spine with excessive weight.
On the other hand, the priority in the case of crunches is to include the abdominal muscles in the intense work. Detaching the shoulder blades from the floor instead of the head itself will avoid undesirable overloads.
What mistakes should not be made when doing crunches?
- Abdominal muscles are involved in all our physical activities, and they are also involved in the process of breathing and digestion. When exercising crunches, let’s remember not to make these few mistakes to be able to strengthen the muscles as effectively as possible and without negative consequences, e.g. for the condition of the spine.
- Holding your breath or breathing incorrectly will not increase your performance, as correct breathing is essential for a properly performed exercise. Muscle relaxation should be accompanied by inhalation through the nose, and tension by exhalation through the mouth.
- Excessive range of motion associated with doing full forward bends. Not so much there is no need to perform them, but they are unfavorable for the spine. So don’t bring your elbows to your knees, just lift your upper body.
- Many people make the mistake of clasping their hands behind their heads, which results in pulling their heads with their hands. Tummies exercised in this way are not only ineffective, but also expose us to injury. The head should rest only on the tips of the fingers, keeping the elbows wide apart.
- It is also harmful to press the chin to the sternum, resulting in improper positioning of the cervical spine, threatening its damage. It is believed that the slope between the chin and sternum should be the size of a tennis ball.
Man does not live by bellies alone!
- The lower abdominal muscles will strengthen the scissors. Initially, when performing this exercise, try to lift your legs low above the ground, as this will help keep the lumbar spine on the mat.
- It is also important to exercise the deep back muscles. A suitable training for this is the plank, i.e. the front supports on the forearms. During the support, make sure that the hips do not drop, the buttocks are at the same height as the shoulder blades and the head is in a straight line with the spine.
- In addition to the rectus abdominis, it is also worth taking care of the transverse muscles. When exercising rectus muscles, do not forget to emphasize the upper attachment, which allows you to lift the torso, and for the condition of the lower attachment, do exercises related to raised legs.
Regular exercises will become easier for us over time and will certainly result in the desired results without unnecessary overloading of the spine.