How to Do a Crunch Correctly, Ab Exercise, Fit How To – POPSUGAR Fitness

by YouTube Team

The crunch is a classic abdominal exercise, but while you’re toning your abs you might be crunching your spine. Learn how to correct your form to work your abs more effectively while protecting your back with this quick video. Happy crunching!

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32 comments

latishabrandon October 16, 2013 - 4:25 am

My butt be in the way trying to do the hand behind head. I can't keep my back st8t with it in the way … Need tips.

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J4m3z1 February 7, 2014 - 8:37 pm

Good video, I just want to emphasize something.

In most exercises, we are encouraged to keep our backs straight. But not with this exercise. I used to keep my back straight during the whole motion of the crunch (I do weighted crunches for bodybuilding) and I would feel lower back pain. Then I realized you have to contract your abs, so that they curl up. With a straight back comes straight abs. Don't do this. The lower back should only leave the floor or bench (or whatever surface you're using) later on in the crunch, not right from the beginning.

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Tom Davies June 4, 2014 - 8:15 pm

So if I keep doing this will I get muscular abs???

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MsLoveandjustice October 12, 2014 - 12:52 am

Oh my god its Joan Cusack's daughter!

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Hammad Shahid November 9, 2014 - 10:15 pm

Thanks! I used to do 60 really fast but now 30 is a challenge when I do it slowly and properly.

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Jeremy Schlichting March 26, 2015 - 11:29 pm

I do weighted crunches too. Should I turn when I do them or how else do I work my side abs.

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Mariose123 July 6, 2015 - 4:06 pm

We can start on our back aswell ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

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lil meowmeow November 25, 2015 - 10:55 am

okay doing crunches is really hard… I have to do 300 a day! 🙁

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Alondra M. December 15, 2015 - 9:18 pm

When I crunch I get neck and head pain how do I correct this

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Aisha Dass January 13, 2016 - 11:31 pm

Great video, thank you xx

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Rawan Fish August 8, 2016 - 2:46 am

Great video!!! I loved the back on the floor advice!

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connor crase January 30, 2017 - 9:26 am

im sorry that is 90 degrees?

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duhawma March 23, 2017 - 12:33 am

can i do it on the bed?

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Rachel May 1, 2017 - 5:35 pm

Thanks so much for sharing this!

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Active Dynamics May 25, 2017 - 3:21 pm

Does it matter how fast you do a rep? For some reason I always tend to move upward fast and then down slowly.

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Peach Soup July 22, 2017 - 4:32 pm

Trying to get in shape a week before summer ends… just let me believe it's possible ok

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Du brauchst hilfe August 4, 2017 - 10:03 am

Anyone else from that exercise program ?

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TRYSSON fwrespeita August 14, 2017 - 7:26 pm

Dr.dre

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ras al ghul August 28, 2017 - 12:09 am

She lowkey looks like an old betty cooper

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Pradeep singh September 26, 2017 - 3:20 pm

Is this for men or women

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SwagShake January 5, 2018 - 5:08 am

So a sit up. ARE U FUCKING KIDDING ME SHE COULD HAVE JUST SAID SIT UP RATHER THAN 1.50 MINUETS OF JUST SAID RANDOM SHIT

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Shannan Schisler March 30, 2018 - 10:39 am

This is nice movie I think. However, You should take instructions from Unflexal if you want to learn more about workouts.

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AnonYmous April 26, 2018 - 9:39 pm

wh does this just look like an easier form of a sit up to me.. and sit ups never burned my belly fat. they just made my abs stronger. :/

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Madison Carlsson July 21, 2018 - 10:58 am

I'm trying to get fit.

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Metallic Bunny November 5, 2018 - 1:23 pm

That damn porn music

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Tamanna May 12, 2019 - 2:04 pm

the fact that she's fucking talking while doing this and i can't even breathe

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Magdoulin Shams El-Din July 19, 2019 - 7:49 am

how many sets should I do daily?

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Balu September 24, 2019 - 3:17 am

Those knees are anything but 90 degrees… 48 degs at best.

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Tyler, The Annihilator April 8, 2020 - 6:09 pm

I'm in quarantine right now and trying for ways to get in shape without going outside, cause I usually just go for a run lol. Wish me luck yall

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Uncle Stevie May 25, 2020 - 12:44 am

It’s just so much easier to get fat !!

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Hotaruflash July 24, 2020 - 9:44 pm

I'm trying to work my ab muscles. A biology teacher friend of mine told me about how it wasn't a gut sticking out on me, it was just loose and unworked ab muscles. I'm always sitting down since I'm pretty much always on a computer, and I want to get rid of the "gut." So crunches it is!

Wish me luck!

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Honeymoonrapsody22 May 26, 2021 - 5:36 am

I always felt like I've been doing crunches wrong

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