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How to do a perfect crunch for sexy abs - the complete guide

How to do a perfect crunch

If you want sexy abs then you need to know how to do a perfect crunch. The crunch is the classic abs movement and it is classic for good reason - it works! Here is how.

What muscles does the crunch target?

Like always, it is important to know which muscles the exercise you are doing targets. It is especially important with the abs because it is so easy to take the weight off of the muscle we want to target and shift it to a different muscle that is not nearly as important.

This image from Wikipedia shows the abdominals in red. These are the muscles we want to target with the crunch - these and only these. However, many people miss these muscles entirely when they are working their abs due to improper technique.

Hip Flexors - the muscles you DON’T want to target

The Hip flexors are a long muscle that run down the side of your abs in down the front of your legs. They are a very strong muscle that like to take over during abs exercises. This needs to be avoided as you will put a lot of energy in to developing the abs and see little results.

The hip flexors take over mainly when you:

• use too much weight on your crunches;
• swing into the motion;
• don’t tense your abs enough during the motion;
• lift you upper body up instead of curling it as per proper crunch technique

Technique for a perfect crunch

As I always say, technique is the most important factor in bodybuilding that determines whether or not you make good progress. It will also save you a lot of time and perhaps a lot of injuries.

To do a perfect crunch you should remember this set of instructions that I go through in my mind before each set (or rep) until the motion becomes habit again.

Pre-Crunch Set Up

1. Lay on the floor and make sure you lower back is pressed against the ground. It should stay there for the entire motion.
2. Fold your arms over your chest in an “x” or place your fingers on your temples. Do not place your hands behind your head as this can tempt you to cheat by pulling your neck up.
3. Place your feet flat on the ground about shoulder width apart.
4. Tense your abs.

The Crunch Motion

1. Tensing your abs and, making sure it is them that is moving you and not your back or hip flexors, roll yourself up as far as you can go without lifting your lower back off of the floor. Bruce Lee said this motion should be like rolling up a newspaper and not like a see-saw going up and down. Curl your upper body.
2. At the top of the motion crunch your abs tight to get the final bit of tension.
3. Slowly lower yourself down, keeping your abs tensed, slower than when you did the upward motion. Aim for about four to five seconds.
4. Without resting on the floor or relaxing your abs start the next repetition and repeat the above.
5. You should breathe in on the decline and breathe out on the upward crunch.
6. If you do more than about 15-20 repetitions you are going too fast and not tensing your abs enough.

Inbetween Sets

1. Stretch your abs inbetween sets by lying on your stomach and, placing your hands on the floor, arch upwards as if you are looking at the sky and feel the stretch in the front.

What you must not do when performing a crunch

Here are the biggest no-no’s for abs training.

• do not swing or use any momentum;
• add too much weight too quickly;
• do not go too fast;
• do not train your abs everyday;

Conclusion
If you follow these steps I am convinced you will see progress in the strength and growth of your abs. They really aren’t that hard to train when you do them right. Make sure you get your technique perfect and go as slow as possible and you will be fine.

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