8 Crunch Variations Thatll Amp Up Your Ab Workout

Although most compound movements already involve abdominal work, fitness experts time and again emphasize the importance of targeted training. Full-body functional workouts may be wonderful for bringing down your weight, but it takes direct efforts to mould a muscle into shape.

Although most compound movements already involve abdominal work, fitness experts time and again emphasize the importance of targeted training. Full-body functional workouts may be wonderful for bringing down your weight, but it takes direct efforts to mould a muscle into shape.

If you want a set of washboard abs, for instance, simply jogging or jumping won’t add up to anything. It will take exercises like planks and pushups, which specifically strengthen your core, to achieve your aim.

One such exercise that has survived the test of time are crunches. They’re one of the well-known ab workouts whose effectiveness trainers vouch for. Crunches are quintessential in the fitness routine of anyone who really wants to attain a set of strong and sculpted abs. And the best part is that there are more than one ways of doing them. Each variation works on different muscle groups in and around your abs, which then toughens your torso all in all.

AskMen India shares 8 such crunch variations that’ll spice up your ab workout:

Oblique crunches

Oblique crunches give your upper body a wonderful stretch apart from strengthening your abdominal muscles. When you place your legs on the opposite side, you invariably twist your torso and improve its flexibility. The oblique muscles, situated on the sides of your stomach, are specifically exercised. Practising these crunches regularly accentuates the shape of your abs.

Follow these steps:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Place your palms at the back of your head.
  • Keep your knees straight.
  • Put your left leg on your right.
  • Lift your torso slightly off the floor.
  • Repeat 10 times before switching sides.

Reverse crunches

Instead of raising your upper body off the floor, reverse crunches, as their name suggests, involves lifting your lower body towards your torso. This is another approach of accentuating the abdominal muscles and strengthening your core. Additionally, reverse crunches improve the mobility of your hip joints. The hamstrings and quadriceps are also stretched in an alternate motion.

Follow these steps:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Place your palms underneath your bottom.
  • Keep your legs joined together and knees bent.
  • Hover your feet above the floor.
  • Lift your legs in towards the torso and up towards the ceiling.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Bicycle crunches

Bicycle crunches sharpen your glamour muscles like nothing else. Not only do they include lifting your upper body off the floor in order to strengthen your core, but also twist your torso sideways so as to work the oblique muscles. Moreover, it includes alternately bending and straightening your legs, which in turn, strengthens the knee joints and tones your thighs.

Follow these steps:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Place your palms at the back of your head.
  • Lift your torso slightly off the floor.
  • Keep your core muscles engaged.
  • Bend your legs at 90 degrees.
  • Align the knees with your hips.
  • Tuck one knee towards your torso while straightening the other.
  • Switch your legs in a seamless motion.
  • Alternately twist your torso to the sides.

Double crunches

Double crunches give equal emphasis to the upper and lower body in order to shape, strengthen and sharpen the abdominal muscles. It involves lifting both the upper and lower body off the floor simultaneously, such that they meet in the middle. This fires up your core muscles and burns far more fat than other crunch variations. It also bolsters the back, hips and hamstrings in the process.

Follow these steps:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Place your palms at the back of your head.
  • Keep your knees straight.
  • Lift your legs slightly off the floor.
  • Tuck your knees towards your torso.
  • Simultaneously raise your torso off the floor.
  • Your upper body should meet the lower body in the middle.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Vertical crunches

Vertical crunches are a variation where the onus of strengthening the core muscles lies entirely on the upper body. Your legs have to stay in a fixed position in line with your hips. The knees need to be kept straight. This makes your lower body stronger and more flexible overall. Simultaneously, you have to lift your torso off the floor so as to sculpt the abdominal muscles.

Follow these steps:

  • Lie down on your back.
  • Place your palms at the back of your head.
  • Keep your knees straight and lift your legs off the floor.
  • Align your feet with your hips.
  • Raise your torso off the floor.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Frog crunches

Frog crunches involve a relatively smaller range of motion. Their focus, instead, lies in completing many repetitions in quick succession so as to get the belly fat burning. This accentuates the shape of your abdominal muscles as a result and makes your torso tougher than ever. The knee and elbow joints are exercised every time you bend and straighten them in an alternate motion.

Follow these steps:

  • Sit down on the floor.
  • Extend your arms on the sides in line with your shoulders.
  • Bend your knees and lift your feet slightly off the floor.
  • Pull your legs closer to the chest and encircle your arms around them.
  • Swing your arms back to the starting position.
  • Simultaneously straighten your legs.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Runner’s crunches

This exercise has the biggest range of motion among all the crunch variations. It gives equal emphasis to the upper and lower body. You stretch the abdominal muscles every time you lower your torso on the floor and strengthen them as you come back up. Additionally, runner’s crunches enhance the coordination between your arms and legs. This improves your mental focus just as much as your physical fitness.

Follow these steps:

  • Sit down on the floor.
  • Join your legs together.
  • Keep your knees straight.
  • Lower your upper body on the floor.
  • Simultaneously extend your right arm above your head.
  • Come back up to the centre.
  • Seamlessly tuck your left knee towards the chest.
  • Lower your upper body on the floor once again.
  • This time, extend your left arm above your head.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Swiss ball crunches

Swiss ball crunches not only strengthen your abdominal muscles, but also improve your balance. This is because the exercise involves resting your back against an inflated ball and making sure it doesn’t move as you raise your upper body off the floor. Moreover, these crunches make your hips joints super strong as they have to be stable and centered at all times.

Follow these steps:

  • Rest your back against an inflated swiss ball.
  • Bend your knees and place your feet firmly on the floor.
  • Place your palms at the back of your head.
  • Raise your upper body off the swiss ball.
  • Keep your pelvis in place while doing this.
  • Release your upper body to return to the original position.
  • Repeat 10 times in a seamless motion.

Make your ab workout more fun with these wonderful crunch variations!

Cover artwork by Dhaval Punatar/AskMen India

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