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waggo
Joined: 18 May 2003
Location: pusan baby!
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 Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:45 am Post subject: |
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I'm trying to do reverse crunches.....if you do them properly they start to seriously hurt after about 10-15 reps.
The good thing about them is they work the lower(difficult) part of your stomach ( crunches only really work your upper Abs) , dont pull on your back or neck and strengthen your inner core.
PM if you want a few quick instructions on how to do them. |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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"crunches" 무슨 듯입니까?
I'm like Qinella: I can't get my guts to hurt, just my back.
Either I have strong guts or a weak back.
If I have strong guts, you'd never guess it from looking at me. |
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blondebecky
Joined: 22 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:45 pm Post subject: |
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| waggo wrote: |
I'm trying to do reverse crunches.....if you do them properly they start to seriously hurt after about 10-15 reps.
The good thing about them is they work the lower(difficult) part of your stomach ( crunches only really work your upper Abs) , dont pull on your back or neck and strengthen your inner core.
PM if you want a few quick instructions on how to do them. |
Best exercise for toned abs is to get your body in a push-up position, with your forearms on the floor (rather than your hands) and hold the position for 1 whole minute, with 5 reps. Guaranteed toned abs in about 4 weeks, from personal experience!  |
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JeJuJitsu
Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Location: McDonald's
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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| semphoon wrote: |
If you want ripped abs, its propbably best to control diet. And get good genes from your parents.
Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym (Ancient Shilla Dynasty proverb). |
Exactly. Doing situps will only make your stomach muscles bigger...which, in turn, can make you look fat/pregnant, ala Ronnie Coleman. |
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Wishmaster
Joined: 06 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:35 am Post subject: |
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No necessarily. Yes, crunches do target certain areas. Hip flexors...need them too. Situps are useful...I've been doing them for years and I don't have any back problems. Many people have been doing them for years...I guess they should all be having back problems but they don't. Sure, if you do them improperly it can be very easy to injure yourself.
I just can't stand stomach fat. I see a lot of these hot Korean chicks and then I see the jelly belly and it is a huge turn-off. I got my six pack from the doing the following:
1) diet. First and foremost. Avoid the fat. Quite simple. Stop eating all the fatty foods
2) exercise. Cardio...lots of it. Situps(200 per day). Crunches(100) and doing leg lifts in the vertical position(only 50) |
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The Hammer
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ullungdo 37.5 N, 130.9 E, altitude : 223 m
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:46 am Post subject: |
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Fat Belly Control...
LOSE WEIGHT THE RIGHT WAY - GOOD CHOICES
1. Choose lean protein choices, such as eggs, egg substitutes, lean beef, turkey, chicken, fish, �tofu for vegetarian�. Only broil, bake, boil or poach.
Only olive oil or PAM.
2. Minimize consumption of high glycemic carbohydrates (carbs that make your blood sugar spike) such as white rice, sugar, certain pastas and potatoes. Certain cereals are ok. (Use a low glycemic list for good body
choices.)
3. When eating carbs, eat them with proteins and keep portion size small.
4. Eat high fiber foods or add fiber to your diet.
5. Water, Water, WATER. Drink lots of water daily. Drink it before a meal to help get you fuller quicker.
6. Try to keep your daily food intake at 40% protein, 40% carbohydrate, 20%
fat which is normally found in the foods that you eat.
7. Eat 4-6 small meals a day. Eat fewer meals if you use a high protein shake or bar for one of the meals.
8. Portion sizes of everything should be the size of your fist. Protein can be more if you are exercising.
9. When eating out remember to have your food cooked the right way. You are paying. Limit condiments on food and you will actually begin to notice the quality of food.
10. Exercise: Cardio exercise at least 20-30 minutes 3 times a week and resistance exercise with weights or machines 2-3 times a week for 20-30 minutes using mostly large muscle groups to increase your metabolism. |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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I ask for a definition of "crunches" and you guys keep on talking about crunches!
I still don't know what you're talking about!
Now could someone please please please please
tell me what crunches are? |
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The Hammer
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ullungdo 37.5 N, 130.9 E, altitude : 223 m
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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| tomato wrote: |
I ask for a definition of "crunches" and you guys keep on talking about crunches!
I still don't know what you're talking about!
Now could someone please please please please
tell me what crunches are? |
How to do it:
Lie down flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
Hold your hands wherever you feel comfortable (on your chest or beside your head - just be sure you don't pull on your head).
The typical crunch is taught by instructing you to simply roll your upper torso forward. This is fine to start with.
To increase the effectiveness of the crunch movement, push your chest and head up towards the ceiling pushing your lower back flat onto the floor.
Your anatomy will automatically cause you to follow a crunching pattern.
Trying to crunch up towards the ceiling will increase the tension on the abs.
Hold at the top of the movement for a second and squeeze hard.
Do not lift up into a sit-up as this works the hip flexors and can strain your back.
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Tricks:
1. Keep it in line
Keep your head and neck in line with the spine. Don't let your chin touch your chest. This takes the focus off the abs and can strain your neck.
2. The negative
Most people forget the negative or lowering part of the crunch. Fight gravity on the way down to really get a burn.
3. Breathing for a smaller waist
At the top when you're squeezing, hold your body up and breathe in and out a few times, trying to relax every other muscle except the abs.
This will intensify the contraction, increasing your results.
It will also help to tighten the abdominal area.
While you are contracting the abs continuously, the deeper fibers are relaxing and contracting while you breathe.
Each time the deep fibers relax, your abs will squeeze them in a little more, making your waist smaller.
While this is temporary smallness, you are teaching the muscles of your abdominals to tighten up.
4. Anchoring your feet
Never anchor your feet (e.g. have someone hold them down or wedge them under something) when you're doing any kind of ab work. This automatically activates the hip flexors (the muscles that lie just across the hip joint that serve to bring the thighs towards the abs).
5. Feet on a bench
Some people like to put their feet up on a bench when doing crunch. Be aware that this also activates the hip flexors.
If you do want to do these, keep your heels about six inches apart and touch your toes together.
This will minimize hip flexor involvement.
Also, push down with your heels to activate the glutes and hamstrings.
These muscles directly oppose the action of the hips flexors and will keep hip flexor involvement to a minimum
6. Push with heels
At the top of the crunch movement, push with your heels to tilt the pelvis up slightly, lifting your tailbone off the floor a little. This increases lower ab involvement and increases the contraction by moving the pelvis closer to the ribcage.
7. Feet in the air
Try to crunch with your feet up in the air and your knees bent like you're sitting.
Crunch upward instead of towards your knees for a different way of hitting the muscle.
Imagine as though you are trying to press your face onto the ceiling.
You may even wish to reach up with your hands as though making palm prints on the ceiling.
This will help you lead with your shoulders.
This has a different feel than the typical crunch which focuses on simply bring the ribcage to the pelvis.
8. Lengthwise on a bench
Try doing crunches lying lengthwise on a bench. Slide yourself down to the end of the bench to that the upper part of your torso is hanging off (the edge should be just below your shoulder blades). This will give you a greater range of motion by allowing you to flex your upper back around the end of the bench. Don't go so far back that you fall off though.
9. Increasing crunch difficulty
To increase the difficulty of a regular crunch, place your feet on a low step (about 6 inches), point your toes and press your heels against the surface of the step as you crunch. This contracts your hamstrings, which relaxes your hip flexors, forcing your abs to work harder.
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Common Errors:
1. Not squeezing the abs
The crunch is an exercise that can be done in what looks like a correct manner but resulting in no meaningful work. Be sure to squeeze the abs very hard at the top of each crunch. If you can talk to somebody (and be easily understood) while doing crunches, you are probably not squeezing hard enough.
2. Yanking on the back of the head
Yanking on the back of the head can lead to neck pain. If you have a tendency to do this, keep your hands off to the sides of your head without actually letting them touch your head.
3. Using momentum and elastic rebound
This is often done in an effort to get out of the bottom to return to the top. Each rep should be performed slowly and under control. This muscular tension is what will work the abs best.
4. Holding the breath
Don't hold your breath all the time when doing ab work. The abdominals play an important role in breathing. By limiting breathing, you will be limiting the work on your abs.
5. Interlocking fingers behind the head
Interlocking your fingers behind your head limits the range of motion of your abs by tying it to shoulder and lat flexibility. If you have tight shoulders and do this you won't be able to stretch back as far. Keep your hands and forearms off your head.
Source: http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exercises/Crunches.htm |
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tomato
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: I get so little foreign language experience, I must be in Koreatown, Los Angeles.
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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Greekfreak
Joined: 25 May 2003
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 10:10 pm Post subject: |
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Any higher than a 45 degree angle on your crunches is bad for the back and doesn't do much for your abs in any event.
Work as many crunches to failure and wait 30 seconds; repeat.
Also make sure you're not eating as much crap as I am. |
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The Hammer
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Ullungdo 37.5 N, 130.9 E, altitude : 223 m
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| Posted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:33 pm Post subject: |
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No problem! |
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Troll_Bait
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Location: [T]eaching experience doesn't matter much. -Lee Young-chan (pictured)
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| Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:36 am Post subject: |
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| Wishmaster wrote: |
| I see a lot of these hot Korean chicks and then I see the jelly belly and it is a huge turn-off. |
Gee ... picky, picky. But then again, my avatar is of a young woman whose abdomen could deflect armor-piercing bullets. |
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