Abdominal crunch machine
The abdominal crunch bench is perfectly positioned to help you maximize your abdominal muscle work outs. The crunch can be varied in a number of ways, but the basic abdominal crunch exercise is considered to be one of the most effective ways to build and tone your abdominal and oblique muscles.
This piece of gym equipment, with its ergonomic bench, will help you keep proper form, so that you maximize the workout on your abdominal muscles, and minimize the possibility of injury or back strain.
The legs up position on this flat bench is a way to vary the traditional abdominal crunch, and is also a way to vary your workout if you are accustomed to the declining ab board style of equipment
Core muscles worked while using the abdominal crunch
The abs crunch machine targets specifically the rectus abdominal muscles. These muscles are the classic “six pack” muscles that are so prized by weight training enthusiasts. The lower back is also worked during crunches, and varying crunches can also work the oblique, or side abdominal muscles.
Appearance and dimensions of the abs crunch machine
The abdominal crunch consists of a wide padded bench, with two bars at one end that support two foot bracing platforms. The bench is ergonomically curved to maximize correct form as you perform the exercise.
The dimensions of this piece of gym equipment are 60 cm x 80 cm x 130 cm. This piece is compact enough to fit easily in a small gym or home gym environment
How to use the abdominal crunch machine
The abdominal crunch is ergonomically designed for correct form as you perform the crunch; and the legs up positioning further isolates and works the core abdominal muscles. Lay on the bench on your back, with you feet resting firmly on the two foot platforms, and the small of your back over the ergonomic hump, near the front of the wide bench.
The movement begins as you use your abdominal muscles to pull your torso up off the bench. You should exhale as you lift your body, and continue to lift your body until you are at approximately 30% of the way to a full and erect sitting position. At the top of the
range of motion, hold the position for a two count, and then exhale as you lower your body back down to the bench. Continue to repeat the exercise to failure.
Incorrect form can lead to injury
Currently health experts do not recommend that a full sit up be performed. The full sit up is considered to be a very ineffective way to exercise the abdominal muscles. In a full sit up, the abs are only used for the first 30% of the range of the motion, and other muscles will finish pulling your torso into a full sitting position. For this reason, the ab crunch, which is working the ab muscles for its entire range of motion, is considered to be far more effective and efficient.
Additionally, the possibility of injury is greater with a full sit up. A full sit up can be safe, as long as the back stays completely straight and rigid throughout the whole range of motion. Invariably though, as you tire your back will arch, and this arching of the back can lead to back strain, and other serious injury.
For this reason, you should never keep your hands locked behind your head or neck as you perform the sit up or ab crunch. Locking your hands behind your head or neck will cause you to be much more likely to arch your back, and will increase the risk of injury.
Variable techniques on the abdominal crunch
The abdominal crunch can be used to perform twisting crunches, as well as the standard vertical crunch. A twisting crunch has you twist your torso to alternating sides at the top of the range of motion. This twisting works your obliques (the side abdominal muscles).
You can also increase the difficulty of the exercise by grasping a weight plate across your chest as you complete the crunch. This will greatly increase the difficulty of the crunch, and is a great way for advanced weight trainers to further their abdominal development
Why you should consider an abdominal crunch
The abdominal crunch will effectively focus your technique and form, and lead to great progress as you use the crunching exercises to strengthen and define your abdominal muscles. This piece of equipment is a great value acquisition, and is small enough to fit easily in a small gym, or home gym environment.