Side crunches are one of the most common exercises to develop a flat but strong abdominal. This exercise is excellent for working the core abdominal muscles. This is also one of those simple exercises, which is easy to perform anywhere, even in your own home.
The most effective way to perform side crunches would be on an exercise ball.
On the swiss ball, your legs are positioned so that your feet are placed flat on the floor, and your upper body is in a straight line with the ground.
You have to make sure that your feet and upper body are parallel to the floor while performing this exercise.
To support your knees, raise a small swiss ball behind you and contract your abdominal muscles gently while slowly bringing the ball towards your body until it is just over your shoulders.
For an excellent workout, you can also try to perform a side crunch while lying on your back with your knees bent.
Place your hands beside your left shoulder and cross your left arm over your chest. Then, cross your right leg across your left and your right hand on top of your left.
These are some variations of side crunches exercise that you can try.
Our abdominal region has three major muscle groups: the rectus abdominis, the transversus abdominis, and the pyramidalis abdominis.
The primary function of these muscles is to help maintain our upright posture, balance, and strength. Crunches are effective abdominal exercises to tone these muscles and eliminate fats around our belly and thighs.
However, the side crunches exercise are different from other abdominal exercises because the legs are extended at 90 degrees. This puts more stress and pressure on the sides than the sides and pelvis of other exercises.
To get the best possible result, do not underestimate this. It is highly recommended to start with the traditional ones and work your way up to the modified versions.
Doing this will ensure that you get the best possible results from this exercise.
Side crunches workout are easy and fun to do. It takes you less than 5 minutes to complete one. However, if you want to burn fats fast, do not overdo it. Start light to reap maximum benefits.
Things you need to know about side crunches
Most people think that the side crunches are just a torso workout. But they are not. What you need to know is that this should be done when you have some time off because it is difficult to do the crunches when you are tired.
If you cannot do the crunches on your stomach, you should lie down and do an abdominal exercise.
The first thing that you need to know is that these crunches are not only for abs. They are also good for your back, pelvis, and legs.
When you do the crunches properly, you can feel the muscles and connective tissues of your body.
The second thing that you should keep in your mind is that these crunches are not that difficult to do. They are simple, and you will see that once you try them. They require you to do some leg lifts to stretch your legs and your abdomen.
This is one of the ways on how to get good abs. You should also learn how to breathe in and breathe out correctly. If you do it wrongly, it can be dangerous.
The third thing that you should keep in mind is that the side crunches exercise are not the same as other abdominal exercises. You can try doing other abdominal exercises like crunches and sit-ups.
These exercises are more advanced, and they require you to lift your torso. With the crunches, you have to lie on the floor, and you have to do your crunches. It is easier to do than sit-ups.
Now, you have known all the things that you need to know about the crunches. You can do the crunches to get a flat stomach. This abdominal exercise will also help you to lose some weight.
If you do the crunches correctly, you will not feel that you are working at all. They are so easy to do that anyone can do them without any problem.
If you are new to the abdominal exercise, you can start with the easy ones. As you know, crunches are one of the easiest workouts that you can do.
Make sure that you do the crunches properly and effectively before you start with the difficult ones. Learning how to do a side crunch will help you become more familiar with the abdominal exercises, and you will be able to master it quickly.
How to do the side crunches?
A Side crunch is a great exercise if you want to strengthen the obliques in your abdominal muscles.
Side crunch is an effective bodyweight exercise for the obliques, but to get the most benefits, it is better to perform a side crunch program that incorporates exercises that target the deeper abdominals.
Side crunches exercise work the deepest abdominal muscles, which are responsible for your core strength.
Crunches also stretch the muscles at the abdomen’s outer edge, which will make your thighs and hips appear more extensive.
Side crunches workout are especially useful for women who struggle with flat abs.
When you do the exercise right, your thighs, hips, and tummy will be smaller than the waist. This will reduce the appearance of belly fat.
However, before you start to do a side crunch, make sure you have done some cardio workouts. Cardio will make your abdominal muscles more flexible and stronger, and it will also improve your posture.
During your workout, the abdominal muscles that you use are called the rectus abdominis, the internal oblique muscles, the frontal oblique muscles, and the hip flexors.
You can try to do side crunches workout by sitting on your heels and resting your feet on the floor, with your arms hanging down at your sides. Keep your knees straight, with your feet placed shoulder-width apart.
You must keep your chest inches away from your toes and your head higher than your shoulders. Next, raise your torso off the floor until your chest is about three inches off the ground, and inhale.
After you inhale:
Tighten your abdominal muscles, and lower your body slowly until you are in your side crunch starting position. As you do this exercise, you will feel the oblique muscles working and then expand, contracting, and then expand again.
Do as many repetitions as you can until you complete one side crunch, then do a second and another.
Remember not to allow your arms to leave the floor.
As your body gets stronger, these exercises will become easier, and you will do them by yourself in no time. If you would like to do a cable oblique crunch instead of performing the side crunches set, you can use a hand weight (a heavyweight over the head) and a bench press to do your side crunches.
Side crunches workout great exercises for the obliques because they work the inner obliques, the side muscles that run along with your deltoids. These muscles are the core of your body, so you need to make sure you are doing an effective exercise.
When you do a side crunch, make sure that your neck is at a ninety-degree angle and that you have your feet on the floor. You can also hold onto a chin-up bar to increase the resistance for your crunches.
By working with multiple sets of repetitions, you can firm up your abdominals day after day and reduce back injury risks.
Variations of side crunches
There are many variations to the crunches exercise, which will help you increase your difficulty level. You can try various kinds of leg raises, knee bends, and reverse crunches.
The Swiss ball is a large piece of equipment used for side crunches workout, making them easier to perform. Most people know about this kind of crunches. They are done by standing on a Swiss ball, crossing your legs, and then leaning forward so that your lower abdomen touches the ball. From there, you can tighten your abdominal muscles more and hold this position for several seconds.
Another variation of a side crunch is to lie down with your back against a wall. Then, raise your body by swinging it forward and hold it there as if you are doing a crunch.
Other than that, you can also do leg and arm crunches. Leg crunches are done while lying down. However, you need to cross your legs before lifting your arms. On the other hand, Arm crunches can be done while sitting or standing up straight with your hands on your hips. Both of these exercises will help you build strong abdominal muscles.
You should remember that any exercise program should always start with a warm-up. So don’t worry if you are not familiar with the exercise. Just learn the basics, and you will fine.
How to do side crunches without any weights
You’ve probably heard people doing front, and back leg raises with weights. That’s great. It’s an effective exercise that works with a variety of major muscle groups. However, you don’t need weights to do side crunches exercise with good form.
Here’s how you do it without any weights.
The main muscles used in crunches can vary slightly depending on your current trained level of movement and technique, but typically the muscles used in a side crunch are primary muscle functions. Your legs, thighs, and calves comprise the majority of your muscle groups. Try to keep your knees bent and straight (keeping your lower back straight). Also, try to keep your upper body as perpendicular to the ground as possible. This will help increase the effectiveness of the exercise.
Second, you have to get both abs working. One way to do this is to do side crunches exercise on one side while lifting your other one and bringing it down. Try to keep your elbows straight and use your abdominal muscles to lift your one leg. You can also try alternating between the right and left sides for better effect.
Third, you must keep your back straight at all times. A side crunch requires that your spine stay relatively straight due to the intense level of exercise that you’re engaging your abs. If your back starts to tuck in, you’re losing the benefits of the exercise, and you’re more than likely losing some belly fat along with it. If you want to continue to reap the full benefits of this exercise, make sure that your back stays straight throughout the workout.
Fourth, watch out for those abs that are sticking out. This is one of the most common mistakes that people who do the crunches make. To reduce the appearance of your stomach flab, perform a cable oblique crunch. Instead of carrying the weight of your head and torso to your chest, your hands will act as weight holders for your belly fat!
Fifth, don’t overdo your abdominal workouts. Side crunches workout require intensive effort on your abdominal muscles. So, if you want to maximize the effectiveness of this exercise, limit your repetitions to ten or twelve. Also, be sure to vary your weights and angle for the best results.
Sixth, make sure that you warm up properly before doing any exercise. Doing a side crunch without warming up your muscles is like driving a car without taking the gas. You can’t expect your obliques to work as efficiently when you jump into it. It is also important to stretch beforehand and cool down properly between workouts. This will help keep your obliques strong during the next workout and prevent you from straining them in the process.
The last, but definitely not the least, tip to remember when doing swiss ball side crunches is to always focus on your abdominal muscles. This exercise requires an intense focus on your target abdominal muscles to ensure that you get optimal results.
Also, make sure that you always engage your core muscles, which are your core muscles that lie in the front of your body and support your entire body. By doing so, you can avoid a possible injury and give yourself maximum results.
What are the benefits of side crunches?
A side crunch can help in toning your abdominal muscles, and they are also known to be effective in improving the strength of the oblique muscles. Crunches are the most commonly used abdominal exercise that many people are familiar with.
These crunches will help strengthen the muscles that support your spine, and they are ideal for individuals who suffer from back pain or just want to improve the way that they look.
In addition to strengthening your midsection muscles, side crunches workout can also be used to lose weight. This is because the abdominal muscles play an important role in supporting the body during walking, running, and lifting. Thus, losing weight can improve your midsection looks, and it can also help you feel more comfortable while walking or sitting down.
In fact, side crunches exercise can also help in increasing the vertical leap of an individual. As a matter of fact, some athletes use them as warm-up exercises before their competitions.
A side crunch can also help strengthen your heart because they will improve your blood’s pumping action throughout your body. This is an ideal benefit that you will definitely appreciate.
If you want to develop stronger abdominal muscles and strengthen the heart, there is no better way than doing crunches. These exercises can be performed at home or the gym by using a resistance machine.
The benefits of crunches are not just limited to increasing your flexibility, but they can also be used to treat sciatica conditions. Side crunches workout can also help reduce the back pain that some people suffer from, and many doctors recommend them for this condition.
Crunches are also excellent for stretching and strengthening your legs. In fact, many athletes use side crunches exercise as warm-ups before games.
The benefits of side crunches are many. However, you must do them correctly to get the best results. To begin with, make sure that you keep your back straight and don’t bend over when you are doing your crunches.
You should also make sure that you maintain proper posture while you are doing these crunches.
You can do a side crunch, sitting down, standing up, and even lying down. Since side crunches workout target the hip flexors more than the hamstrings, they are best done after a workout.
However, if you want to increase your vertical leap considerably, you can do side crunches exercise during your workout because they are very effective.
Mistakes to avoid when doing crunches
When you are exercising, you need to make sure that you are performing the exercise properly, or else you will not get the results you want. Here, I will tell you the most common mistakes and how you can avoid making them.
The first mistake that most people make when doing crunches is that they do not correctly perform them. Most people do crunches the wrong way. They do not stretch their body properly.
When you incorrectly do your crunches, then you will end up with injuries. This is because most people do not stretch before performing their exercise.
You do not have to stretch when doing your side crunches either. When you are stretching, you are preparing your muscles for your work out. This is why you should stretch before doing the crunches.
By stretching your muscles, you will get more strength into them, and you will be able to get more calories burned while performing your crunches. When you perform your crunches the wrong way, your chances of injury increase.
This is because when you do crunches wrong, your abdominal muscles are not ready for the work they need.
Another mistake that many people make when doing crunches is overworking their abdominal muscles. You should not do the crunches for about 4 minutes. Just alternate your repetitions between six and twelve. You should do the crunches in a way that you are slowly building your abdominal muscles.
This means that you should slowly raise your legs so that your body does not get tired. You should not strain your muscle groups when you are working out, and you should not force your muscles to work hard while doing crunches.
Now, you have detailed instructions on how to position your body, perform the exercise properly, and ensure that you are getting the maximum benefit from the crunches you are doing. When you learn how to do crunches correctly, you will be able to reap the benefits of exercising.
You will get to have more strength and endurance and get a leaner and healthier body.
Side crunch vs sit-ups
Sit-ups and side crunches workout have become trendy exercise routines for those seeking to lose excess fat and gain lean muscle. But there is a big difference between the two that you should be aware of.
Let’s look at the differences between these two exercises and see if they are truly worth your efforts. We’ll also examine why some people prefer one over the other.
To start with, sit-ups and side crunches both involve raising the body’s torso. This is done by either lying on one’s side or sitting up straight with the arms at your sides. In the former instance, your legs will be extended out in front of you, and the toes of your feet may be pointed toward the floor. In the latter situation, your legs will be bent at a 90-degree angle with the toes of your right foot and the shoulders remaining parallel to the floor. Obviously, the former will work better for those who are shorter and taller and those with more flexible hamstrings.
Now let’s take a look at the differences in the legs’ actual positions in each of these exercises. Most sit-ups require that you rest the upper body on a chair. If you are short, this can be an uncomfortable position. However, with sit-ups, you will be more likely to keep the upper body somewhat erect without actually resting on the chair. (This is not to say that you can’t use a small chair if you prefer to rest your body in the open air, but it may be more comfortable to rest your upper body in a chair if you are short.
Many people find it easier to raise their legs in a crunch than in sit-ups. This is because a lunge’s torso is longer than that of a squat, which means that you have more room to keep your leg during a crunch. This gives you more opportunities to bring the weight down to your stomach and into the proper position for you.
Side crunches exercise, on the other hand, require you to prop your knees up against the wall. This forces you to bring your lower half’s buttocks toward the chest to get your stomach in the “sit up” position. Because your lower abs are kept in a partially reclined position during sit-ups, you must rely on the strength of your hip muscles to keep yourself upright.
This is not the most efficient way to work on your abs because you do not get as many muscle groups working during each repetition.
To get the most out of each workout, you must incorporate both workouts into your routine. If you prefer to do only one type of exercise, make sure that it fits into your daily or weekly schedule. You do not have to waste time and energy performing two exercises when you could be getting a better workout by performing both.
When you use both a side crunch and sit-ups correctly, you will notice that you do not only burn abdominal fat; you also increase your cardiovascular endurance, strengthen your core, and firm up your stomach.
Also Read:
Deadlift Workout: The Ultimate Guide to Deadlifting
An Advanced Guide to Lunges: What Happens If You Do Lunges Every day?
Conclusion
So, as you can see, there are many advantages of side crunches. It is a great exercise routine for anyone at any fitness level. They are easy to do, convenient (because you can do them whenever you want) and give you excellent results in terms of getting in shape and getting rid of that excess fat.
Side crunches exercise aren’t just for people trying to shape their abs. They’re also great for overall body strength training. For beginners, doing a side crunch can feel like a lot of hard work. However, as your body gets used to this exercise and starts to get stronger, you’ll notice that they actually become easier.
You may even notice that a side crunch feel better than your regular crunches after a while. So, it’s not surprising that people who do side crunches exercise are more likely to get stronger and build muscle mass.
You should always remember that you should do an exercise according to your age, strength and flexibility levels. Do not perform any exercise if you are not physically fit.
Remember always to stretch before and use a proper breathing technique. It will help to reduce your muscle tension and make you feel energized.
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