How to Crunch: Gym Shorts

How to Crunch

Gym Shorts videos provide short video demonstrations of correct form for various exercises.

How to Crunch: Follow These Steps

• lie on ground with back flat
• lift legs up to about 90 degrees with 90 degree bend at knees
• legs touch each other
• cross arms with fingers touching around collar bone
• lift chest up to touch arms to thighs
• bottom position traps touch the ground
• should feel it in your abs

What is the Crunch

The crunch is a bodyweight exercise that targets the athletes abdominal exercises. The lifter flexes his spine using the rectus abdominus along with the obliques.

The rectus abdominus are the muscles you think of when you think of “abs.”

In compound barbell lifts, the abdominal muscles are trained isometrically – they hold the spine in place. In movements like the crunch, these muscles are trained concentrically.

Programming the Crunch

Military service members may have to perform these as part of their physical fitness assessment. They may also regularly perform them during organized physical training.

Movements like these make more sense when lifters lack access to barbells, such as if gyms close or during business travel.

We program these for higher repetitions, generally 10-50. Athletes typically perform them near the end of their workouts, after their primary and supplemental lifts.

One way to include these is to perform them as part of a circuit in between upper or lower body exercises.

Click HERE to watch a video on getting your first chin-up and HERE to read our free home training guide.