CROSSHAIRS
BY BRYAN HAYCOCK
IT’S CRUNCH
TIME
FOR AN EYE-CATCHING
SIX-PACK, GO WITH THE
KING OF AB EXERCISES.
A STUDY
CONDUCTED by the
University of Wisconsin
compared 16 abdominal
exercises, looking at
which one activated
upper and lower abs
the most. It found that
no exercise was able to
top the standard crunch
for engaging both the
upper and lower abs.
That doesn’t mean a
little variation is out of
the question. Crunches
with knees up can really
home in on the upper
abs. You can also throw
in reverse crunches
(curl up from the
pelvis) to ensure good
contractile activation of
62
FLEX | MARCH ’18
the lower abs. Twisting
variations of crunches
can also be included
to ensure good
activation of the
obliques. Although high
reps are considered
the best for abs, they
can also benefit from
progressing the
resistance and reps
over time, especially
if your abs appear too
flat or the cuts appear
not deep enough. A
five- to 10-pound plate
held behind the head
or across the chest can
effectively increase
the resistance. Reps
in the 10 to 12 range are
perfectly acceptable
3
3
3
while using added
resistance. Reps and
weight should be
cycled from high to
low with appropriate
periodization, just as
you would with other
muscle groups. movements. The order
that you do crunches
and reverse crunches
should be dictated by
which area needs the
most improvement.
ALTERNATIVES The rectus abdominis
(RA) begins at the pubic
bone, runs up the length
of the torso, and inserts
at the fifth to seventh
ribs. It serves to flex
the trunk, pulling the
rib cage to the pelvis.
The RA is flanked by
the internal and external
obliques that assist
the RA and help rotate
the torso.
Abdominal crunch
machine, cable crunch.
WHEN IT’S
CRUNCH TIME
Crunches, and core
work in general, should
be done at the end
of a workout to avoid
compromising core
strength and stability
for big compound
FORM AND
FUNCTION
LIFT