Some variations of the crunch are very challenging, but there are easy ways to do them. The standard floor crunch is a great exercise to work your abdominal muscles without too much difficulty. The rectus abdominis muscle that runs vertically from your ribs to your hips is the one primarily used during crunches. You can work this muscle doing crunches with an aide like an Ab Trainer or Ab Roller that will make crunches easier to do and support your neck, or try a seated variation.
Ab Trainer
An Ab Trainer is a lightweight piece of equipment that you can use at home and store in a closet. It is part of the Ab Roller line. Ab Trainers have a back and neck pad to support your head and reduce injuries from doing crunches. A study performed at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University and led by Peter Francis found that crunches with the Ab Roller worked the abs as well as a standard crunch. Lie on the floor with your head and back against the pads to use the machine. Place your hands on the frame or arm rests depending on the model. Crunch up so your shoulders are 30 degrees to 45 degrees from the floor and keep your lower back pressed to the floor. Keep your chin lifted away from your chest. Lie slowly back onto the floor.
Seated Ab Crunch
Sit up straight in a chair to do a seated ab crunch. These crunches are easier to do than floor crunches because you aren't fighting against gravity to crunch up off the floor. Place your feet on the floor. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head. Open your elbows. Crunch your shoulders forward toward the floor until your chest is parallel to the floor. Keep your lower back straight.
Floor Crunch
Once you have built up some abdominal strength by doing crunches with the Ab Trainer or seated in a chair, you can do regular floor crunches more easily. Floor crunches will strengthen your ab muscles and neck muscles. Lie on the floor on your back. Bend your knees and put your feet on the floor. You can extend your legs straight on the floor or in the air, but that will be more difficult. Bend your elbows and place your hands behind your head. Relax your neck into hands. Squeeze your abs and crunch your head and shoulders off the floor 30 degrees. Lower yourself back to the floor.
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