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Get your Abs Ripped by Ball Crunches |
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Written by Stephen E. Alway, PhD, FACSM
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Wednesday, 25 April 2007 |
Introduction.
Perhaps your abs are not quite in top form, yet summer has arrived, anyway. Throwing in a few sets of incline situps may not get the job done quickly enough to obtain those washboard blocks before the beach towels are rolled up for another season. Of course, you could give up, and swallow the excuses like, "I decided to bulk up this summer", or my "slow metabolism won't let me develop great abodominals".
Alternatively, you could act like a champion and plan to do something about it today. The solution is actually straightforward, but it is not simple. One of the "secrets" for improving abdominal shape is to increase your metabolic rate. Your metabolic rate will be elevated for several hours after your workout, so clearly don't miss any scheduled sessions. However, you will also need to step it up a bit by adding 30-50 minutes/day of aerobics. The cycling or running/walking should that push your heart rate to 70% of your maximum (maximum heart rate is 220-your age). The best approach to fat buring is is to do your aerobics at a different time of day than your weights because this will give two chances to increase your metabolic rate each day. Don't neglect your heavy lifting just because you want to get ripped abs because adding more pure muscle mass will burn more calories throughout the day than small muscles, even if you are only sitting at your computer.
The best abdominal exercises will shorten and tighten the fibers in the abdomen wall. Poor exercises have components that stretch the abdominal fibers. Crunches on an exercise ball are great, because they optimize your abdominal contractions, while protecting your back. This is not just a "spa" exercise, because you will really feel a great burn and gut ripping contractions if you stick with this.
Muscles used. The rectus abdominis muscle is split into left and right halves by the linea alba, a thin tendon-like vertical line. Usually there are three or four rows of horizontally placed tendons running across the rectus abdominis. The short fibers of the rectus abdominis run from one horizontal tendinous insertion to the next. When the rectus abdominis is tensed, these short fibers bulge between the tendinous grooves, almost like small ropes or blocks.
If both right and left halves of the rectus abdominis muscle contract, the trunk is flexed forward so that the head and chest move closer to the hips and legs (assuming a fixed pelvis). This is the general movement of the crunch. Although there is muscle activity in all of the blocks during most abdominal exercises, the upper two rows preferentially contract and shorten the most when doing crunches. However, in the crunch on the ball, the inferior fibers close to the pelvis can be activated effectively.
If you cannnot see the external oblique muscles dance and tighten especially if you twist to either side, then ball crunches on the ball will move you a little closer to this goal. The external oblique runs from the lower ribs by small bundles of muscle fibers that are angled in the same direction that your fingers would point, if you were to put your hands in your pockets. As the external oblique approaches the center of your abdomen, it unites with other slips of muscle fibers and forms a flat fan shaped muscle that attaches to the iliac bones of the pelvis and hip structure and also the linea alba. When both left and rights sides of the external oblique muscles work together they flex the trunk and move the head towards the feet. When one side contracts (unilateral contraction), the body twists to that side.
The internal oblique muscle sits just deep to the external oblique muscle. It attaches on a thick connective tissue sheath in the lower back, called the thoracolumbar fascia, and from the iliac bone of the hip. Its fibers run around the side of the trunk at right angles to the external oblique muscle, fanning out and running towards the head (superiorly). It attaches on the lowest three or four ribs, and becomes continuous with the internal intercostal muscles (respiratory muscles of the rib cage). Similar to the external oblique muscle, if both left and right portions contract together, the internal oblique flexes the trunk at the waist and moves the head towards the feet. It assists in twisting the torso if it contracts unilaterally.
Ball crunches. This exercise will most effectively contract the upper two rows of the rectus abdominis, but the internal and external oblique muscles will also assist in the flexion of the trunk.
1. Lay back on a Swiss ball which should be on the floor. Bend your knees and lower yourself so that your shoulders and back are lying along the center of the ball. Next, extend your knees and let the ball roll a bit towards your head and continue until your knees are about ninety-degrees and the ball is laying in the small of your back (lumbar). Your shoulders will not touch the ball but your shoulder blades will contact the ball in the starting position Make very sure that your shoes have a good griping surface; otherwise, you may risk sliding off the ball during the exercise.
2. Place your hands so that the fingertips are on either side of your head. It is not a good idea to place your hands behind your head and interlace the fingers. This is because as you fatigue, you could pull up on the head with your hands and forcefully bend your neck forward, and this has potential to hurt your neck. Instead, if your fingers are placed on the side of your head (the temple area), you cannot use your head as a lever to help you lift your head and torso from off of the ball.
3. Point your elbows to the side and away from your body (not pointing forward). Take a breath, and then exhale as you bring your head and chest upward towards the ceiling. Your shoulders should raise an inch or two during this first phase, and you will feel your lower back press deeper into the ball and the upper row of rectus abdomnis will contract strongly as you come up. Do not let the ball roll forward as you come upward. Do not let your hips drop down as your chest comes upward.
4. During the second phase, you try to come up even further so your shoulder blades (scapula) lift off of the ball, but you should think about curling your shoulders and upper back so that your chin moves towards your chest as your upper body is curling (or crunching) towards your thighs. Hold the crunched position for a count of two.
5. During the third part of the exercise, you will tilt your pelvis forward and upward towards your head as your shoulders move upward. A pelvis tilt is critical because it strongly activates the lower blocks of your abdominals. All the while, you should try to keep squeezing your abdominals for another three seconds while tilting the pelvis.
6. Inhale as you slowly control your upper body as it returns towards the starting position. The ball prevents your shoulders and head from resting between repetitions so that you will maintain tension throughout the entire exercise and between repetitions. This greatly increases the effectiveness and intensity of the exercise.
This is an excellent exercise even for someone with a weak back, because it does not put your lower back at risk if done correctly, because the ball supports the lower back throughout the exercise. In contrast, regular situps and lying leg lifts jeopardize even a healthy back.
You should not hold your breath during ball crunches since this increases intra-abdominal pressure and prevents the abdominal fibers from shortening as much (although it might feel easier to do the crunch when holding your breath). It is best to either exhale as you are crunching forward, or even better, exhale before you do the contraction, then concentrate on achieving a maximal shortening of the fibers during the exercise.
If you can do 3 sets of 30 reps without your abs screaming, it might be time to bring it up one notch of intensity. This can be done by adding a slight twist to the right as you elevate your shoulder blades from the ball followed by a slight twist to the left on the next repetition. The twists increase the activation of the oblique muscles. When this becomes too easy, you can take a light barbell plate, wrap it in a towel and place it behind your head. If you do need the added resistance be careful not to pull up on your neck with the plate as you begin to fatigue.
Adding 3-5 sets of ball crunches at the end of your workout will quickly start to etch the blocks back into your abdominals. By the second set, you should feel like each abdominal block is being carved with an acetylene torch. Nevertheless, this flame should stay lit until you have met the sweet success of owning a ripped mid-section. At this point, you have earned the place of quenching this fire later this summer as the beach waves are rolling over your razor sharp and deeply etched abs.
References
1. Demont RG, Lephart SM, Giraldo JL, Giannantonio FP, Yuktanandana P and Fu FH. Comparison of two abdominal training devices with an abdominal crunch using strength and EMG measurements. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 39: 253-258, 1999.
2. Moore KL, and Daley AF. Cinically Oriented Anatomy. Lippincott Williams & Williams, Baltimore, 4th Edition pp. 1999. 178-187.
3. Sands WA and McNeal JR. A kinematic comparison of four abdominal training devices and a traditional abdominal crunch. J Strength Cond Res 16: 135-141, 2002.
4. Stich V, Marion-Latard F, Hejnova J, Viguerie N, Lefort C, Suljkovicova H, Langin D, Lafontan M and Berlan M. Hypocaloric Diet Reduces Exercise-Induced alpha2-Adrenergic Antilipolytic Effect and alpha2-Adrenergic Receptor mRNA Levels in Adipose Tissue of Obese Women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 87: 1274-1281, 2002.
5. Sternlicht E and Rugg S. Electromyographic analysis of abdominal muscle activity using portable abdominal exercise devices and a traditional crunch. J Strength Cond Res 17: 463-468, 2003.
6. Sternlicht E, Rugg SG, Bernstein MD and Armstrong SD. Electromyographical analysis and comparison of selected abdominal training devices with a traditional crunch. J Strength Cond Res 19: 157-162, 2005.
7. Suleiman S and Johnston DE. The abdominal wall: an overlooked source of pain. Am.Fam.Physician 64: 431-438, 2001.
8. Thomas TR and Ridder MB. Resistance exercise program effects on abdominal function and physique. J Sports Med Phys Fitness 29: 45-48, 1989.
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