Keep on crunching?

We all want that killer "six-pack", but have no clear understanding of how to achieve them. No matter how many crunches you do, your stomach doesn't seem to be getting any flatter. So why is everyone so insistent that doing hundreds of crunches a day will eventually give you flat, sexy abs? According to the Livestrong website, crunches are an exercise that targets the rectus abdominis muscle and obliques. The purpose of this exercise is to increase muscular endurance of the abdominal muscles and also to strengthen the abdominal muscles. But that's all. Crunches and sit-ups will not get rid of fat in the midsection area. This is where people are being led astray. With a combination of cardiorespiratory fitness (or cardio in lay terms) and abdominal strength/endurance exercises, you will have a better chance at reaching the end goal of a "six pack." 

According to ACSM guidelines for cardiorespiratory fitness, it is recommended that a person should perform dynamic, rhythmic movement three to five times per week for 20 to 60 minutes at a moderate to vigorous intensity. There is no such thing as spot reduction, so it is important to have a well-rounded exercise program. Also, for muscular endurance, ACSM recommends that a person train two to three days per week using eight to ten major muscle groups. The guidelines recommend one to three sets of eight to ten repetitions. Another important factor is to continually challenge your muscles so that they do not become used to a certain exercise. This variability will allow you to continue to see advances and gains in your muscular fitness. 

So are all the crunches worth it? Yes and no. Yes, if you pair it with a change in diet and cardio exercise, but not if you are only performing crunches day in and day out with no other changes. For those that do have that "six pack", they did not just wake up one morning with no fat at their midsection. It takes hard work and dedication to fitness and overall well-being. So stop killing yourself doing those boring, basic crunches and spice up your workout. Try out a new cardio workout along with your abdominal exercises. Below I added a website that I found that lists 45 abdominal exercises that may be something new for you to add to your daily workout:

http://greatist.com/fitness/45-greatist-ab-exercises

Hopefully you enjoyed this latest addition to my blog. Please let me know if there is anything you want to know about so I can write about it in my next entry. I am always looking for new trends to write about, so let me know. And remember, if you read about something you like, go out and research some more about it. I want to open people's eyes to different ideas, but there is even more information out there that I don't even know about. 

Websites used:

• http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/health_fitness/gln_health_fitness_zone/pdf/heart_rate_monitor_activities/muscular_strength_and_endurance/muscular_strength_endurance_activity_2.pdf
• http://www.livestrong.com/article/510261-if-i-do-crunches-everyday-will-i-slim-my-tummy/