If you want ripped abs, crunches are an absolute waste of time.
In this article, I’ll show you 3 reasons why abs absolutely suck when it comes to ab exercises…and recommend some better exercises instead.
First, let’s talk about the most popular abdominal exercises in the world:
Problem #1: They are too easy.
Except for those who are extremely out of shape, sit-ups are pretty easy. Most people can remove 10, 20, or even 50 without too much trouble.
And in the world of fitness, easy usually means ineffective. The truth is that everything that is easy does not give results. The world record holder can do over 2,000 sit-ups in less than an hour! And surprisingly, he doesn’t have great abs!
Problem #2: They can hurt your back.
Your spine is a magnificent piece of machinery. It can be bent, curled and folded without any problem. However, if you repeat the same movement thousands of times (like when you turn your truck while doing sit-ups), you can create some overuse injuries.
That’s why it’s best to find an abdominal exercise that offers superior results with fewer repetitions. Not only will you save time, but you’ll also save your back.
Problem #3: They don’t work.
In my youth, I tried an experiment. I did 500 sit-ups every night for a whole month. After a month, he had completed more than 15,000 sit-ups. And yet, my stomach looked no different.
That’s a huge waste of time in my book. Think about it: if you pick up your first ball and “make a muscle,” will it make your biceps bigger? Of course not, even if you do it a hundred times a day. That’s the same reason why doing 100 sit-ups or more every day won’t give you better abs. Simply flexing a muscle is not enough stimulation.
So if you want a better ab workout, you need to find an exercise that is 1) not too easy, 2) won’t hurt your back, and 3) actually works.
Unfortunately, there aren’t too many ab exercises that make the cut. In fact, most modern abdominal exercises are absolutely useless. Luckily, there are some “old school” ab exercises you can use that will give you six pack abs in no time (provided your eating strategy is sound).
The first old-school abdominal exercise is the abdominal wheel rollout. This exercise teaches your abs to work in concert with the rest of your body, resulting in a harder contraction and a more effective workout.
Another good exercise is the hanging leg raise. Grab a pull-up bar, keep your legs straight, and slowly raise your feet in front of you to eye level. Move slowly and without using momentum.
If you’re not seeing the results you want from crunches, try skipping them for a month and using these old-school crunches for a change of pace.