Sit-ups and crunches are the 2 most commonly performed ab exercises. Since almost everyone who wants a flat stomach or 6-pack abs does them, they should be effective, right?
Yes, for damaging your back.
No, for training your abs.
Let’s take a look at each of these 2 ab exercises, to see how they cause more harm than good.
Sit-ups
When performing sit-ups, the illiopsoas muscle is mainly responsible for flexing your torso towards your thigh. The illiopsoas is made up of 2 muscles: psoas and iliacus. The psoas originates from the lower back and the iliacus originates from the thigh bone. Both muscles end at the same point.
During repeated sit-ups, the illiopsoas pulls on the lower back while there is little or no ab engagement. This can cause lower back pain and poor posture. The constant flexing of your spine causes it to become weaker and prone to injury. In addition, your core muscles are not being trained to support and stabilise your spine.
Crunches
Many people would have performed the crunch, not just once or twice, but countless of repetitions. They often do so by going into full spinal flexion. This puts tremendous load on the spinal discs, which can result in disc herniation or bulging.
“Realize that the spine discs only have so many numbers of bends before they damage,” says Dr Suart McGill, professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo in Canada and a back-pain clinician. Repeated spinal flexion and bending of the disc increase the risks of disc injury and back problems.
Spinal flexion can lead to a hunch back and/or protruding head. This is not only unsightly, but can eventually lead to poor posture and lower back pain. It’s no wonder that some of the guys at my gym who often perform endless crunches, have rounded backs.
Training the rectus abdominus with repeated sit-ups and crunches while ignoring other core muscles can result in a protruding belly. For good-looking, strong abs, you need to train all of the core muscles (obliques, transverse abdominus, rectus abdominus and back extensors).
A word of advice…
You should stop or avoid doing sit-ups and crunches:
- if you feel back pain after performing them
- if you suffer from lower back pain/injury or other back problems
- even if your back may seem healthy and you feel no pain from performing them (to prevent damage to your spinal discs)
Ab exercises that really work
There are many non-specific ab exercises that are more effective than sit-ups and crunches, to train your core muscles. Not only do these exercises help to develop flat or six pack abs, but also improve core strength and stability. Check out –> Ab exercises that really work
Sit-ups and crunches are two of the most overused ab exercises. Most people would have probably done hundreds of sit-ups, only to discover that they don’t burn belly fat. Those who train the rectus abdominis (six pack muscle) with excessive sit-ups can end up with a protruding belly.
Dangers of performing repeated sit-ups
Sit-ups involve full spinal flexion that compresses the spine. This can lead to disk bulging or herniation. If you are training your abs with sit-ups, you are only damaging your spine.
When performing sit-ups, the illiopsoas muscle is mainly responsible for flexing your torso towards your thigh. The illiopsoas is made up of 2 muscles: psoas and iliacus. The psoas originates from the lower back and the iliacus originates from the thigh bone. Both muscles end at the same point.
During repeated sit-ups, the illiopsoas pulls on the lower back while there is little or no ab engagement. This can cause lower back pain and poor posture. The constant flexing of your spine causes it to become weaker and prone to injury. In addition, your core muscles are not being trained to support and stabilise your spine.
The bottom line … Do sit-ups work as an ab exercise?
Sit-ups do not burn belly fat. Neither do they work for developing flat stomach or six pack abs. Instead of working your ab muscles in isolation, it is better to train them with functional exercises that mimic real life movements. You’ll build strong core muscles, lose belly fat and get good looking abs without sacrificing your back and poor posture.
Standing ab exercises can add a variety to your abdominal workout routine. They work your core in a functional way, which simulate your daily movements.
When performing standing ab exercises, there are more muscles being recruited. Instead of training the rectus abdominis or six pack muscle only, you are strengthening all core muscles and training them to act as stabilisers.
If you suffer from back pain or neck pain, you may prefer to do ab exercises standing up instead of lying on your back or sitting, with less or no discomfort.
Here are 3 standing ab exercises to develop a strong and good looking mid-section:
1. Overhead squat
2. Reverse woodchopper with medicine ball or dumbbell
3. Standing on a medicine ball
Here’s a video that explains overhead squat:
(This can be performed with or without dumbbells)
Here’s a video that explains reverse woodchopper with medicine ball:
(This can be performed with a medicine ball or dumbbell)
Here’s a video that explain standing on a medicine ball:
(Warning: This is a very challenging ab exercise!)
Here are 5 more ab exercises that really work. Check them out and let me know what you think by leaving your comments below.
Whether you are a man who wants six pack abs or a woman who wants a lean sexy abs, there are 2 things you should know:
- your body fat must be low enough for your abs to be visible, and
- ab exercises that really work to shape your core muscles.
Personally, I don’t like to spend too much time training my abs. I avoid doing ab specific exercises such crunches and sit-ups, as they are the least effective and efficient ways to get lean abs. These exercises also cause lower back pain.
I prefer to train my abs with functional exercises such as those found in Ab Strength Guide program. It only takes 10 mins a day, no more than 10 exercises per workout session. These ab exercises are a killer, but they work.
Why Train For Functional Abs/Core
The core area is made up of many muscles. The primary muscles are transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques, and rectus abdominis.
Core muscles allow you to perform activities such as walking, running, lifting, bending, squatting, etc. They act as stabilisers to control you from falling forward, backward or side to side.
If you only train the rectus abdominis or six pack ab muscles, and neglect other core muscles, this can lead to muscle imbalance, back pain and poor physical performance. When you train core muscles to respond to functional exercises, not only will you get a tight mid-section but also gain strength and improved posture. A strong core supports the spine and reduces the risks of injury.
Ab Exercises That Really Work
Here are some of my favourite (killer) ab exercises:
- rotational spider plank
- cross-over climbers
- squat & medicine ball pick up
- side step on forearms
- push up superset
These are just some of the functional ab exercises from the Ab Strength Guide program, that really work. Not only are they effective for working your abs, they also accelerate your metabolism so you burn more calories and lose belly fat. Dr Kareem Samhouri, the creator of Ab Strength Guide program, explains how using 3D exercises can skyrocket your success in getting flat or six pack abs in this article. The good news is it only takes 10 minutes per day.
Here’s a video that explains rotational spider plank:
Here’s a video that explains cross-over climbers:
Here’s a video that explains push up superset:
Let me know what you think of these exercises or other ab exercises that have worked for you. I’d love to hear your comments below.
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Pooch belly is caused by neurological problems. Basically, the “wiring” of your lower abdominal muscles is inhibited, allowing the muscles to relax and bulge out.
This can be a result of:
- c-sections,
- food intolerances,
- food allergies, and
- visceroptosis, ie compression and displacement of internal organs.
Many people are unaware that they are intolerant to gluten in wheat (and other grains) and/or dairy. Food intolerances or allergies can cause inflammation, gas and bloating in lower intestines that result in pooch belly appearance.
Here’s how to test if you are intolerant to wheat and/or dairy. Eliminate wheat and dairy products from your diet for 2 weeks. See how you feel and look. You may notice some positive changes that include losing belly pooch, losing body fat, resolving certain health issues (diabetes, chronic headaches, eczema, skin allergies, etc) and improved energy levels.
After the 2 weeks, reintroduce them one at a time to find out whether you are intolerant to one or both of them.
Most foods such as bread, cereal, crackers, cake, etc contain gluten from wheat or other grains (oats, barley, rye). It may not be possible to eliminate them completely from your diet. However, you may want to reduce its consumption as the first step to losing your belly pooch or a better health. Alternatively, choose gluten free food products where available.
2. Core exercises
Muscles that have been cut as a result of surgeries such as hysterectomies, c-sections and hernias tend to lack communication with the nervous system, thus causing a pooch belly. Performing certain exercises can help to re-establish this communication, tighten core muscles and help you get rid belly pooch.
Check out some of the recommended core exercises by David Grissafi here:
(This is a guest post by Craig Ballantyne, author and creator of TT for Abs DVD)
The thought of having to do an additional 20-30 minutes of abdominal work after a regular workout can sometimes be enough for you to skip the ab training altogether. But, with these six upper body exercises, you’ll gain all the benefits and more of a regular ab workout, without the extra time.
This 15-minute upper body workout will not only build your arms, your chest, and your back, but every one of these exercises is also going to work your abdominals.
So this workout will include as I mentioned 6 exercises, but they will be broken down into 3 supersets at 5 minutes each.
So, the first superset will pair chin-ups with spiderman pushups.
Now, just because these aren’t specific abdominal exercises don’t think your abs will walk away unscathed. I remember training a client before and a couple of days after doing the chinup exercise she commented how shocked she was that her abs were so sore.
With proper form, the chin-up exercise can very powerfully target your abs. For proper form, begin in the dead hang position. Now, keeping your body tight, brace your abs and pull your body up and chin over the bar, then in a controlled fashion, lower your body down. You will noticeably feel this exercise working your lats and your biceps.
Perform enough repetitions that take you until one short of failure. For example, if you can do 15 repetitions, then only do 14 and so on.
After the chin-up exercise, you will move into the spiderman pushup. In this exercise, you will get into a regular pushup
position, and then as you come down bring your knee up to your elbow and back down. Alternate sides.
As previously noted, each superset pairing will be done in five minute intervals. Once finished with the first superset, move onto the next upper body combination of one-arm standing dumbbell shoulder press and heavy weighted dumbbell rows.
For the one-armed shoulder press exercise, place the DB at shoulder height with your palm facing outward. Next, brace your abs and place your opposite hand on your side to ensure your obliques are working while pressing up with the DB. Do eight repetitions for one side, and then switch to the other side.
Immediately after completing your repetitions for the shoulder press, move to DB rows. This time you will choose a weight you can normally do 10 times, but now try to get 12 repetitions. However, be sure to use only good form.
By keeping your body and back in a straight position, you will end up working your abdominals very hard, especially as you get closer to failure and your obliques work against rotation. If you find that you need to take a 5-10 second rest after ten repetitions in order to use perfect form for the remaining two, then do that.
Again, you will do this superset for five minutes going back and forth between these two exercises.
To finish off the 15-minute workout, you’ll do two arm exercises that simultaneously work your abdominals. The first exercise is the lying dumbbell triceps extension. Now, in order to get a good ab workout from this exercise, when you’re at the bottom position, drop a little more and you stretch your abs. Then, bring the dumbbells back up overhead and repeat.
That little extra stretch at the bottom of the exercise will really work your abdominals to give you that six pack abs look, much like the stability ball rollout when you stretch out at the end of that exercise.
The final exercise is the one-armed standing dumbbell curl. For this exercise you want to begin in a braced position. Since you will be using a heavy weight, your abs will have to work very hard throughout this exercise. To get in proper position, if your right arm is working, then your left leg will be in front. You can do this exercise for 6-8 repetitions per side.
That’s the 15-minute upper body workout that will work your abs just as hard if not harder than any ab crunching workout you could possibly do.
For DVD workouts using these exercises please visit:
“Stomach exercise” is the most frequently asked about and searched on (via internet) yet misunderstood subject in the entire field of health, fitness and exercise. And it’s no wonder. Regardless of age, experience or gender, everyone wants a flat “stomach” because the abdominal region is the true showcase of your physique. Since the abs are usually the last place to “shape up” and “lean out,” then most people would say that if you’ve got abs, you’ve got it all.
Well, in my way of thinking, this is only partially true. There’s more to a complete physique than “abdominal exercises” and “six pack abs” and most people are completely wrong about “stomach exercises” and “”stomach muscles.” (you’ll find out why in just a moment)…
The Difference Between “6-Pack Abs” And Truly “Fit Abs”
Having a great looking set of abs is very much a matter of low body fat. But make no mistake, just being lean and seeing a “six-pack” doesn’t mean you are strong, fit or conditioned. Real fitness means more than visible muscle development, it means strength, endurance, and stability, and this type of true functional fitness does not come from merely eating the right foods or reducing your body fat.
Nutrition is so important that you could even say that “abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym” and you would not be telling a lie. But this clever maxim is not telling the whole truth either. Great abs come from nutrition AND training, not one or the other. The training develops them. The nutrition uncovers them.
Don Juan Ponce de Leon arrived in America in 1493 looking for a fountain of youth and today in the “stomach exercise” marketplace, it seems that far too many people are looking for a “magic fountain” in order to flatten their waistlines.
Ponce never found the fountain of youth and you will never find a magical solution for flat abs. There are no short cuts. It takes a change in lifestyle to get a change in health, physique and performance. That includes nutrition AND training.
There’s No Such Thing As “Stomach Exercises”
Proper choice of exercise is a critical factor in your quest for a firm and flat waistline. But you will never get a great “stomach” from ANY “stomach exercise” because your stomach is a part of your digestive tract, not your skeletal muscular system! So let’s get the terminology straight, shall we?
The area of you body you really want to improve is called your “core region.” Many people refer to it as the “abdominal region.” However, training only with “ab exercise” is NOT the optimal approach.
THIS is your stomach!
The abdominals only include the front (anterior) side of your body and if the only type of training you do is abdominal training, you may be unwittingly setting yourself up for lower back problems. If you don’t think this is serious, then consider this statistic:
According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 31 million Americans are suffering from low back pain at any given time.
So would you like to trade great abs for a bad back?
I didn’t think so. The good news is that you can kill two birds with one stone. You can develop great abdominal muscles, great core muscles and a strong, pain-free back by using exercises that focus not on the “stomach,” (which is not a muscle you train at all), not on the “abdominals,” (which is only part of the muscles you need to target), but on the entire core.
The core is the key to your success.
The core is the entire complex of muscles around your hip and waist region from your lower rib cage to the bottom of your pelvis. If you just focus on “abdominal exercises” alone (or “stomach” exercises, LOL), you will develop what I refer to as a “one dimensional body.” I focus on training the body as a whole, or “multi-dimensional training” to develop a complete person and to develop effective and powerful athletes.
What every program I write has in common is that I do not attempt to “isolate” the abdominals (or train the “stomach muscles!”) It’s all about the core and about integrating your body as a unit so you function better in daily life.
As you do core-focused exercise programs you not only train your muscular system but also the system that drives your muscular system – that is, the nervous system. This may very well be the most important secret for getting better results in your workout programs.
The more efficiently your nervous system works, the better your results will be. Core workouts that improve both muscular strength and conditioning while also improving neural drive will develop stronger neural control of the associated muscles.
This type of training for your core may very well be the most important secret for getting better results in your workout programs.
THIS is why my “brand” of core training gets results inwomen who have had C-sections, or other abdominal surgeries when nothing else worked
THIS is why the core exercises I recommend will flatten out a “pooching” belly, which is a result of deep muscular weakness and lack of neuromuscular control (It’s NOT just a body fat problem!)
THIS is why my clients have overcome agonizing lower back pain when all else failed
THIS is why my workout program have helped men and women recover from embarrassing incontinence
THIS is how I have helped hundreds of new moms regain their flat and firm midsections after having their babies
THIS is why my clients remain injury free, while so many other training programs are actually the CAUSE of injuries
And THIS is why my type of training – PROGRESSIVE CORE TRAINING – develops amazing athletes – top wrestlers, PGA golfers, and pro boxers with powerful punches and abs of steel.
The purpose of this article was not to give more workout routines (I’ve written an entire book about core training that’s FULL of workouts (Firm And Flatten Your Abs).
The purpose of this article was to “install” 3 incredibly important lessons into your brain:
You can’t train your “stomach” because your stomach is an internal organ of digestion not a skeletal muscle!
You can’t totally “isolate” your abdominals because your abdominals do not work in isolation, they work in conjunction with the rest of your body (and “isolation” as with only doing crunches, is not the optimal approach anyway).
You get more by training your core! You become a better athlete, you help prevent injuries, you get stronger and you get that coveted 6-pack abs look.
I hope the “morals” of these lessons have already sunk in and will become a part of your own fitness philosophy… and the next time you hear someone talk about “stomach exercises”, you’ll now be able to get a good chuckle out of that.
About the Author:
David Grisaffi majored in physical education and holds multiple certifications including 3 from the prestigious CHEK Institute: Level II high Performance Exercise Kinesiologist, Golf Biomechanic, and health and lifestyle counselor. He’s also certified by the ISSA as a personal trainer and specialist in performance nutrition. David has been a high school wrestling and baseball coach and is currently an independent trainer and strength coach. He has been sought after by some of the top athletes in professional sports including world champion boxer Greg Haugen and professional golfer Michael Putnam. David’s ebook, Firm And Flatten Your Abs is an online best seller which teaches you how develop “six pack abs” while improving strength, function and athletic power at the same time. Find out more at: Firm And Flatten Your Abs website
(Editor’s note: this is a guest post by Jon Benson)
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You may be wasting your time in the gym or at home if you are trying to shape your body or get rid of body fat.
Most people are. That is when it comes to exercise for getting rid of belly fat and getting into better shape.
I was in the gym today (nothing new… ; ) and I saw all 4 of these exercises being performed by various gym members (again… nothing new.)
And they are useless for 99% of the people on the planet.
Here they are…
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USELESS EXERCISE 1: Walking Dumbbell Lunges
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Okay ladies, this one is for you… although I see guys do this exercise as well.
This is where you take a pair of dumbbells and kneel with one leg, then the other, and so-on, walking around the gym as you go.
The idea behind this exercise is to work the butt, and to some extent the thighs… but it’s a joke. It’s something invented by trainers who should know better.
If you want to build and tone your butt, exercise one leg at a time. Lunges are a great exercise for this, but save your energy. Do them on a Smith Machine or with a barbell. Work one leg at a time, too. Do not alternate legs. This just wears you out aerobically before it has a chance to get to your glutes.
Here’s how I perform lunges: On a Smith Machine, with pretty heavy weights… one leg at a time. I will do 2-3 sets, or do them in my 7 Minute Body-style workout fashion. I will finish one leg (and one butt cheek) before moving to the other leg.
Why? Again, to focus on the muscle more intensely and to avoid turning a leg/butt workout into a cardio session.
Jon Benson covers exactly how to work the butt area for the best results in 7 Minute Body and 7 Minute Muscle, found right here
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USELESS EXERCISE 2: The Sit-up
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I’m shocked that people still think sit-ups done the old-fashioned way actually work the abs. Even worse, most people have been fooled into believing this actually helps get rid of bellyfat.
Nonsense. Belly fat is burned off when you have a good nutrition plan and through general exercise, not using exercises for the abs. Ab exercises are fine, but guess what?
I never train my abs more than 3-5 minutes. Today my ab workout took 3 minutes and 12 seconds to complete. And my abs are sore!
But without the nutrition plan, forget it… I’d never SEE my abs at all. I’d just have a nice wall of muscle with a bunch of flab covering it up.
The best nutrition plan for abs is The Every Other Day Diet plan, found here
The best exercises to do for the actual ab muscles are hanging leg raises, done slowly, crunches (if you do them right)… and that’s really all you need.
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USELESS EXERCISE 3: The Bench Press
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I’m going to get a lot of flack from the guys out there who love to bench, but I’m here to tell you that this exercise for bodyshaping is all but worthless.
Why? Because most people are not built right body-wise to bench press on a flat bench with a barbell. I am not, that’s for sure.
Bench presses work if you have short arms, a relatively short torso, and your shoulders are genetically strong.
Protect your shoulders and really work your chest by doing incline dumbbell presses with your palms facing OUT, not in toward your head. This protects the rotator cuff, a part of the shoulder that is often injured using barbell bench presses.
Combine this with a good cable fly or press movement and you’re set. Again, you only need about 7-14 minutes of chest work tops to get the job done.
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USELESS EXERCISE 4: Most Cardio Exercises
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Yep… saved the best for last.
Here’s a fact: Most cardio (bike, treadmill, glider, whatever) is a waste to time… UNLESS you do it at the right time with the right nutrition plan.
The calories you burn from cardio will be easily negated simply by eating a bagel! Hardly effective for getting rid of bodyfat. Weight training and/or resistance training at home or with your body weight, as covered in 7 Minute Muscle, is your best bet for exercise that burns-off mega-calories and keeps on burning long after the exercise session is over.
Here’s how to use traditional cardio wisely:
1. Do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach;
2. Keep your heart rate down to 75% of your max (220 minus your age x .75 will give you this number, at least approximately);
3. “Burst” for 2-3 minutes in your session up to 85-90% of your max heart rate.
4. OR, do cardio right after weight or resistance training when your heart rate is already elevated and your blood sugar is lower. Your body burns blood sugar first during exercise.
Cardio for most people only needs to be performed 3-4 times a week for 20 minutes. The only time I break this rule is when I want to get my body fat below 10%. Then I will do more, but only using the rules above.
Hope this saves you a ton of time with your workouts.
You can get both books, The Every Other Day Diet plan and 7 Minute Body, for a big-time discount by going here and watching the presentation.
Most people are especially challenged with hitting their LOWER ABS.
Don’t worry – this will do the trick…
Find yourself a DECLINE BENCH and a bath-sized TOWEL.
Roll the towel up into about a cylinder, about 6 inches high.
Lay on the decline bench with your head toward the top and your legs straight with feet on the floor.
Place the towel from left to right under your lower back and grab the bench behind your head with both hands to gain leverage.
The towel increases the range of motion in your abs and ALSO gives you incredible lower ab activation.
Now, keeping your legs STRAIGHT, raise them in the air until you’re in the shape of a “V” and breathe out forcefully at the peak contraction point.
Lower your legs SLOWLY but don’t give them a break at the bottom.
Raise them back up in the air and continue back and forth until exhaustion.
When you’re abs are toast, finish them off by bending your legs at the knees and doing “reverse crunches” in the same fashion, bringing your knees up toward your chest.
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