{"id":381,"date":"2018-03-23T23:06:42","date_gmt":"2018-03-23T23:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/drkarenhudes.ca\/?p=381"},"modified":"2018-03-23T23:06:42","modified_gmt":"2018-03-23T23:06:42","slug":"core-strengthening-exercise-4-proper-crunches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drkarenhudes.ca\/index.php\/2018\/03\/23\/core-strengthening-exercise-4-proper-crunches\/","title":{"rendered":"Core Strengthening Exercise #4 – Proper Crunches"},"content":{"rendered":"

Doing Crunches the right way<\/h1>\n

We love core strengthening right? So I bet you think you know how to do a crunch right? Are you sure? Hmmm. Maybe not…. to do crunches properly and make sure you are really strengthening your core as much as you need to read on…<\/p>\n

Instructions for proper core strengthening with crunches…<\/h1>\n

step by step instructions are easy and almost exactly what you have always done with one or two new twists…<\/p>\n

These extra bits make all of the difference in activating the proper muscles including a muscle called the transversus abdominus which really helps to activate the whole core (anteriorly and posteriorly).<\/p>\n

Here are the steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Lay on your back with your knees bent<\/li>\n
  2. place one hand on your belly<\/li>\n
  3. place the other hand behind your neck with your thumb and fingers spanning your neck to the upper back<\/li>\n
  4. brace (this is exercise #1 – told you that you would need it again)<\/li>\n
  5. put your tongue on the roof of your mouth (yes you read that right)<\/li>\n
  6. crunch and lift your shoulders slightly off the floor without moving your neck into flexion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Ok so why with the tongue thing?\u00a0 It makes it so you can’t engage your neck muscles and you have to use your core.\u00a0 This is the way you were always supposed to do crunches. Who knew right?<\/p>\n

    Video<\/h1>\n

    for a step by step how to please see my YouTube video below!<\/p>\n