Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting position. Lie on on your side with knees bent at a right angle and twisted to the left. In any case, we’ll show you a series of exercises to replace traditional crunches, which can often be boring and ineffective. Hold for five counts, and then lower back down to repeat with the left hand and knee. With toes pointed down, lower right foot as far as you can without lifting back off the floor. I cringe at the fact that when in high school I had this silly little ritual of aiming to do 200-300 every night before bed, and I’m pretty my influence on this was back when Britney Spears said she did 1,000 per day. Barbell Military Press. Alternatives for hanging knee raise oblique crunch targeting the same muscles: Burpee. Remember to maintain the correct back posture during the whole movement. Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…Surfing in Missouri, Me too! Reach legs toward the ceiling with each contraction. Perform a standard crunch, then lower upper body to about an inch from the floor and switch legs. Starting push-up position, rotate the body to the right and extend the right hand overhead, forming a T with the arms and torso. And there's an increasing number of models…, There are many different types of exercise, and each one is good for developing a different aspect of your physique…, Cellulite is an accumulation of fat that usually occurs around the hip areas or the upper parts of the leg. Jennifer Forrester : Step-ups. Hold. If you don’t do this carefully, there’s a high risk of  lower back injuries. With legs extended, lift the heels off the floor (about six inches). YMX by Yellowman Review plus an Indoor Cardio Workout, Exercise Alternatives to the Dead Lift - Your Trainer Paige, you work the abdominal muscles below the belly button, as well as the entire rectus abdominis by activating the core, there’s no pulling at the neck or cervical spine. Sit ups and crunches only work the rectus abdominis muscle and don’t effectively work the obliques and transversus abdominus. Some other core workouts/ab exercises I love: I despise crunches so I’m all about any alternative!! those are always hard for me which means i probably need to work on them! Lie on back and place hands behind ears. Slowly bring the leg back down, then lift back up. Ab Crunches. I had two main goals when coming up with this list of sit up alternatives. Curl upper body, lifting shoulders off the floor a few inches. Looking for alternatives to sit ups and crunches? Continue this movement for as long as possible. No-Hands Reverse Crunch: As a substitute of keeping arms at sides, wherever they can assist abs, fasten them overhead to make active more stomach muscles. The oblique crunch isn't the best choice of oblique exercises, but it is a quick, easy bodyweight move that anyone can do, anytime, anywhere. © 2018 Group Ex Class Planner. 8 Hanging Knee Raises Alternatives. Anyway, my point is that there are far better exercises for your back than doing crunches. Place hands behind head. Don’t miss out! Mar 31, 2013 #1 It's a silly question but since i don't have an exercise ball and scared i can't get one that will stay inflated without spending a ton of money i'm just not buying one. Crunches are often the go-to ab exercise, but it turns out they're not actually that effective — they only work the superficial muscles that span the surface of your stomach. Mountain climbers allow us to work the oblique muscles without the need for a traditional side crunch. In And Out Abs. On top of that, unlike traditional oblique crunches, mountain climbers help us to increase our lumbar resistance and stability. Do you do ab work? With this exercise, you can achieve a greater contraction and stretching mechanism; but you have the advantage of not bending or flexing the lumbar area too much. Balance on hands and knees. Lift right arm and left leg at the same time without moving torso. Hope you’re having a great week so far. Kneeling Side Reaches. We can train our core without endlessly doing sit ups and crunches. Lie on your back with the knees bent and feet on the floor. You can start with sets of 15 reps; try to not drop below 50-60 reps per day. Now, straighten your left leg without touching it to the ground. Lie on back with feet together, legs extended, and hands behind head with elbows wide. Place arms at your side and lift up the spine and hips. Tighten the abs and raise the right leg, with the knee and hip bent at a 90-degree angle. Now, I’ll admit that they get way too demonized in the fitness industry, but that’s because of two things: That said, lots and lots of crunches can be bad for the lumbar spine – especially if you already have lower back pain. I very, very, very rarely ever have my clients do a crunch. Return to starting position, then repeat, lifting opposite leg and arm. *facepalm* What can I say? The role of core stability in athletic function. Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…WIAW: Pass the Hot Sauce, well i just heavy male teen and honestly i love these they do so much more for me at home i dont have to deal with wedging my feet under sothing or fiddling to decide whee my arms should be