


Range of movement: With crunches there is actually less range of movement but more control.Type of movement: With a crunch, the lower back stays on the ground whereas with a sit up, it lifts off the floor.What are reverse crunches? An expert guideĪlthough they might seem similar, there are some notable differences between sit ups and crunches.‘To add a bit more intensity, you could hold the crunch position for a few more seconds while on the fit ball, making sure you are focusing on your breathing at all times,’ says Lyndsey. Crunches on an exercise ball: If you have a problem with your back or you find it difficult getting on and off the floor, classic crunches can be performed on an exercise ball, using a small range of movement.Reverse crunch: Another modification of the classic crunch, reverse crunches are a great move to target more of the core muscles.Essentially it should feel like you are riding an invisible bicycle on the floor! Bicycle crunch: A modified classic crunch that works the abs and the obliques, the muscles that run down either side of your core.Classic crunch: The standard move involves lifting only your upper back off the floor, as outlined above.Make sure to hold the weight of the head in your hands so you give as much work as possible to the actual abdominals, instead of lifting by tucking the neck to the chest.’ Types of crunches 'On top of that, you might experience neck pain after a high amount of reps. ‘If you are looking to strengthen your entire core, you will need to add different exercises for the lower abdominals/obliques,' Chiara advises. However, on the downside it only targets the upper and centre portion of the abdominals, leaving the obliques out. The crunch is a very simple exercise to perform, being a low impact movement with low risk of injury or hurting. ‘This mainly targets the rectus abdominis muscles AKA the six pack abs,’ explains Hollie Grant, founder of Pilates PT. Crunches are abdominal exercises that require you to lie on your back and flex the thoracic spine (upper back) away from the floor.
