Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Why You Can’t Get a Flat Tummy With Just Crunches Alone


The crunch is also know as the curl up and is one of the best exercises for the abdominal muscles. It is also much safer and healthier for you back than the traditional sit up. But it alone will not flatten your tummy.





There are many different types of crunches you can do, but remember when doing crunches, the lower back does not leave the floor. Because of this you remove the “hip flexors” thus taking the pain off of your back and effectively isolating the abdominal muscles.



From beginner to advanced this crunch exercise can be increased by lying on a decline bench or by holding weight on the chest. It is also fantastic to use with a ball.



You will find that there are variations to the crunch but they are not painful on the back unlike situps. Stomach crunches are simply the easiest workout way to GREAT Abs. Now understand the greatest abs in the world will not show up if there is a great deal of belly fat over them!
But to achieve these results you not only have to do crunches you must work out other muscles and change your behaviors when it comes to food.

An exercise ball is also a fantastic way to do crunches. Not only does this protect your back even more, but it gives you flexible supports. This also adds to your workout while you are doing crunches and you will inadvertently do extra body movements.

Remember toning is all about movement. This exercise is so simple, yet is the most fundamental abs movement, and therefore extremely effective. The effective number of reps depends on your personal shape and goals. And as stated ‘toning” is all about movement, but losing the fat takes a little more work.


All of us want that nice tummy we had when we were younger. If you now find yourself with the pooch or the full blown “when are you due” stomach then crunches will be great for you. However, stomach crunches alone will not remove the under belly “fat”. You may have great abs and a six pack underneath, but you will not see it if the fat covers over it. If you are not burning as many calories as you are taking in, you will not change the appearance of the fat tissue surrounding your abdominal muscles,"



Your health does depend on this: Stomach Fat is bad for HealthA daily AB Crunch exercise-plan helps to develop a flat belly and improves your health. However you must do cardio and change eating habits along with this.

Strong abdominal muscles are good to have for several reasons, including protecting our internal organs, aiding the lungs in breathing, and maintaining good posture, which can help reduce low back pain.

One thing to remember though: crunches are meant to tighten and firm your muscles and work well in doing so. However if you have a lot of stomach “fat”, diet and cardio workouts will also help you achieve your goal much quicker.