Abs Without Ever Doing Crunches

Now I know that personally I would never want a six pack, I just like a flat, tight, slightly defined tummy. Most people rely on crunches to give themselves decent looking abs, but do yourself a favor and drop crunches, reverse crunches, sit-ups, machine crunches and other spine-crushing movements out of your routine. Crunches are terrible for the spinal cord and your posture, so let’s read on about a better way for toning our abs.

[The ideal toned, tight and slightly defined stomachs! Why none other but the lovely Miranda, Alessandra and Marisa!]

Crunches Will Give You Okay Looking Abs
Crunches will give you decent looking abs, but there is a safer and superior approach to getting toned abs. If you must do crunches, then limit it to maybe your first 3-6 months of training and then just drop them completely. At the very least, do them with one leg straight out on the ground because this will take some of the pressure off your spinal cord.

Ab Isolation Movements Are Pointless
Ever hear the term that, “You can’t spot reduce?”. Well essentially when you do crunches (ab isolated movements), you are isolating the rest of your body and exercising only your stomach. The problem with crunches is over time the crunching movement will weaken your spinal column and it is a possibility you may wind up with poor posture.

Almost Everything You Do Works Your Abs
When you run your abs are engage to keep your shoulders above your hips. Without these muscles your upper body would tip over at some point. Same with doing body-weight exercises, which are good indirect ab movements. Your abs have to work hard to insure that your body doesn’t fall forward or backward when you are doing various movements.

The Superior Ab Exercise – Planks
Have you ever done planks before? Well let me tell you, they are tough! The great thing about planks is that they basically flex the muscle without any movement involved. Planks will tone your abs without increasing the size of the muscle, which is exactly what you are aiming for if you want amazing looking abs. Have you ever seen a person with a six pack, but their stomach sticks out past their chest, this is what we are trying to avoid, and that is exactly what crunches will do.

Here Is A Plank Workout
2 minutes right side plank
2 minutes left side plank
2 minutes plank
2 minutes plank on a stability ball

Do this workout 3 times per week, and see your stomach get tighter than ever!