Abs

Crunches, when done on the floor, are designed specifically to tighten and develop your abdominals.

The motion that you go through when doing crunches actively engages your core, which allows you to build up those rock hard abs you’ve always wanted.

These benefits are supposed to be thanks in large part to the fact that you’re laying on your back. At least, that is how they’re supposed to work.

In reality, crunches don’t provide the type of resistance necessary to yield any type of dramatic positive effect.

Additionally, because they’re only working a relatively small area of your body, you’re wasting your time going through a great deal of effort for little results.

If you really want to get those rock hard abdominals you’ve always dreamed about, consider doing a few alternatives that make better use of your entire body.

Instead of lying on your back and targeting just one small area, work towards positively and actively engaging your entire core.

You can begin using a balance ball in a traditional exercise routine with techniques like regular sit-ups and begin to see the types of effects that crunches on the floor are supposed to do in the first place.

Incorporating a balance ball is also a much safer way to work that section of your body, as they don’t put nearly as much strain on areas like your back and your neck as crunches do.