Myth—doing crunches is a great way to get sculpted abs.
Busted! First, ab crunches and sit-ups are not very safe exercises. According to research by Dr. Stuart McGill, a specialist in low back disorders, crunches and sit-ups put 340 kg (about 750 lbs) of compressive force on the spine as it flexes. This is enough force to cause the vertebral discs to bulge and press on nerves, resulting in back pain. It could even lead to a herniated or ruptured disc.
Second, crunches work primarily the rectus abdominis musculature (the washboard or six pack muscles), and the way many people do them, they engage the hip flexors as well. Many of us have overly shortened hip flexors due to prolonged sitting, so sit-ups only add to the problem. Instead, we should be working all of the core muscles, which means just about anything that isn’t our head, arms or legs. Some of the best exercises for the core are planks, bird dogs, cable press outs, water walking and just about any exercise done standing with resistance bands.
And, finally, there’s the fact that sculpted abs are mainly made in the kitchen, not the gym. You can do crunches all day and it will not burn belly fat. Good nutrition leads to fat loss; exercise supports good nutrition.
Check out My Top 5 Core Moves for some ways to get started.