You’ve probably heard of side crunches, but you might be wondering, what are they, and why are they so great for building core strength? If you’ve ever wondered how to perform side crunches, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we will teach you how to perform side crunches, give tips on getting the best side crunches, and offer our final thoughts. Side crunches are a great way to strengthen your abs and tone your hips. So, how do you perform side crunches? Keep reading to learn how to do a perfect side crunch every time!
What Are Side Crunches?
The side crunch is a versatile exercise that works both the internal and external obliques to strengthen your core muscle and increase muscle mass. Some people call them an oblique crunch and it’s a phenomenal ab exercise for optimal core engagement!
Curtis Shannon, an athlete performance specialist, calls it the “magic exercise” for love handles. As such, many people perform this exercise to get washboard abs. This exercise is not recommended for those with a low-fat percentage. However, for those who do not have this problem, the side crunch is an excellent way to get rid of love handles by strengthening your hip flexors.
You will need a soft floor or exercise mat to perform side crunches. First, lie down on your side and place your right hand on your temple. Keep your left arm straight. Next, engage and contract your right abdominal wall and core. Next, lower your elbow to meet your outer thigh. Exhale slowly and repeat for three to five sets. Then, repeat the movement on a day-to-day basis to strengthen your abdominals and body.
Side crunches work the internal and external obliques and tone the midsection. They burn calories and tone the lower back and glutes as well. Moreover, they do not require any special equipment. Therefore, they are easy to do anywhere. And there are many variations of side crunches, so there is bound to be one that suits your needs. Add on some plank activity to your core workout to increase strength training with ease.
Side Crunches vs. Traditional Crunches
Aside from the stability ball, you also need a soft floor or an exercise mat to perform side crunches. First, lie on your side and place your right hand on your temple while keeping your left arm straight. Now, contract your abdominals and engage your right side, bringing your right elbow towards the outer thigh. Next, inhale slowly and repeat the exercise as many times as possible, alternating sides.
There are a couple of crucial modifications to side crunches. It is essential to avoid locking your hands behind your head because this will cause false reps. Second, don’t pull your head off the floor, as this will defeat the purpose of the exercise. Third, lead with your elbow when performing side crunches and not twisting, allowing your abs to relax. Then, focus on executing the movement correctly.
Third, the side crunch targets a different area of the abs than regular crunches. Regular sit-ups and standard crunches target the front abdominal muscles, while side crunches are focused on the oblique muscles on the sides of the body. While performing it the same way as standard crunches, ensure your elbows are slightly closer to your knees. Repeat the movement several times until you feel the burn in your abdominal muscles and oblique. Try to maintain a consistent form, and repeat this exercise frequently for maximum results. This exercise will also help tone your abs, eliminate fat, and create a firmer waist.
While side crunches are simple to do and can be effective, beginners may want to practice a few reps until they learn how to do them correctly. These crunches take only five minutes to perform. They are a great way to start an abdominal workout if you don’t have much time. The best way to do side crunches is to do them when you’re not feeling fatigued. If you feel tired, you can try doing them while lying down.
Benefits of Side Crunches
Side crunches are a great way to burn belly fat while sculpting your abdominal muscles. The key is to engage your obliques as you flex your legs. Side crunches are an excellent way to tone your abs, increase your strength, and boost your overall fitness. Here are the benefits of side crunches:
Extend your elbow toward your hip and pause. Repeat for the desired number of reps. While performing side crunches, you’ll reap some of the benefits of regular crunches. But you’ll also get additional benefits from this exercise. For example, it improves your posture and helps trim your gut fat.
Side crunches are an excellent way to burn unwanted belly fat. Side crunches are correctly done with your body flat on the floor. The knees and hips should be slightly bent. It would be best if you elevate your head above your shoulders, and your lower back should stay flat. Holding your elbows and shoulders at your sides, you can bend your knees and engage your abs as you lower yourself to the floor. You need an exercise mat or a soft floor to perform side crunches. It would be best if you tried doing at least three sets of 15 reps to perform side crunches.
For the best results, engage your core muscles during the exercise. Remember that the core muscles support your entire body. Engaging these muscles in the side crunch will help prevent injury and maximize results. It’s easy to see why side crunches are one of the most popular abdominal exercises in the world. It works the abdominals and improves oblique muscle strength, so it’s an excellent exercise for back pain sufferers and anyone who wants to improve their physique.
Risks of Side Crunches
Although side crunches are a popular workout, they do have some risks. First, poor form can lead to injury and even lost progress in the gym. Also, if performed incorrectly, you may strain your neck or trapezius. If you are unsure if side crunches are proper for you, seek medical advice before beginning any exercise. You can avoid injury by following these tips. Read on to learn more about side crunches.
Incorrect weight is another risk. Using the wrong weight can harm the spine and cause back pain. Adding too much weight can lead to imbalances in the body and even back pain. Unless done correctly, side crunches work the small side core muscles, weaker than those on the front and back. So, adding extra weight to the exercise can counterbalance the lack of strength on these sides. Ultimately, this can result in injuries.
Performing side crunches is a great way to build your core. While they work the entire upper body, they also require the strength of your abdominal muscles and the support of your back and shoulders. As such, these exercises are safe to do twice a week. However, do not do more than three sets of side crunches a week. Do this and you will reap the benefits of a strong core and a flat stomach.
How Do Side Crunches Strengthen Your Core?
Are you wondering how side crunches strengthen your core? Well, a side crunch works your entire core (upper and lower abs) and upper body. While many exercises target the same areas, this one is unique in focusing on the entire body, especially the core and upper body. In addition, it targets both sides of the abdominal wall, including the external obliques. And it’s great for shaping the waist!
The main objective of a side crunch is to work the gluteus medius (the pelvic stabilizer). You will need to lie on your left side to do a side crunch. Your upper body should be supported, but keep your knees bent at a 45-degree angle. Your legs should also be bent and extended, which requires strength. Repeat three sets of fifteen to twenty times until you feel the desired strengthening.
Side crunches can be performed with a wide stance, as long as you don’t cross your legs. In addition, you should never lift your head or neck during a side-crunch exercise. Before starting this exercise, you should consult a physician to ensure that the move is safe for you.
Why Core Strength is Essential
The muscles that surround the spine and pelvis are called the core. They work together to stabilize the body and transfer forces during movement. A strong core prevents a single spot from being strained. Likewise, a weak core puts strain on one or more organs.
For starters, the core is an integral part of the body. It helps control the body’s posture, prevent injury, and improve overall fitness. In addition, the diaphragm is involved in digestion and blood transport to the heart. So, it’s not just the abs that need strengthening. Core strength is an essential component of any activity!
Another reason core strength is essential is that you can develop poor posture and experience chronic back pain without it. Also, you may experience pelvic tilting when walking. A strong core improves balance and prevents injuries such as back pain. A substantial body helps prevent overuse injuries, like knee or hip sprains and IT band syndrome, which affects runners. Additionally, a strong core enables you to move better and positively affects everyday life.
How To Do Side Crunches
To perform a side crunch, you must first know how to perform a traditional one. If you cannot do it correctly, you may experience pain. Therefore, it is best to practice side crunches with an exercise mat. If you do not have access to a gym, you can do this exercise at home. Before starting the activity, be sure to check with a doctor. In addition, the abdominal compression of a side crunch works internal and external obliques, which are responsible for shaping the waist and reducing the appearance of love handles. Traditional crunches target the rectus abdominis, but you can also use an exercise machine.
Side crunches are an easy-to-learn exercise. To perform them, begin by lying on your side. Next, bring your upper arm behind your head while bending your knees. Finally, lift your upper body diagonally while simultaneously crunching your obliques. You can do this exercise with either a leg on the floor or your knees bent.
You must lie down on a flat surface to perform a side crunch. The upper body should remain straight, and your knees should be stacked. Your legs should be bent as if you are doing a sit-up. Squeeze your obliques while keeping the lower back flat. Repeat the exercise as many times as you like. Perform two or three sets of side crunches a day for better results.
Tips For The Perfect Side Crunch
First, let’s define the side crunch. Place your right knee in front of your left shoulder. Then, take a deep breath and lift your upper body off the ground. Make sure that your elbows point out. Keep your back flat, but don’t tuck your chin into your chest. Lastly, raising your left leg off the floor would be best.
Aside from being beneficial for your lower back, side crunches also target your obliques. You begin in the classic crunch position, with your knees bent. You can alternately cross your foot over the other knee while keeping your knees bent. Once your abs are contracted, twist your body to the side of your bent knees. Lower your back down to complete the exercise. Either way, you’ll feel a great burn in your midsection.
To do the perfect side crunch, you’ll need to engage your abs. However, it is essential to remember that if you perform the exercise incorrectly, you risk various injuries. If you want to try weighted side crunches, you can add weight to the bar using the side of your chest. Alternatively, you can place a barbell on the floor or a dumbbell in your hands to make the exercise more challenging. When you start, ensure you don’t use too much weight because this could lead to damage.
When To Do Side Crunches?
When to do side crunches depends on your ability and flexibility. Side crunches target the upper body’s muscles and are effective for toning and strengthening. You can perform these exercises at any time throughout the day. Here are the proper ways to perform side crunches. When: First, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet shoulder-width apart. Next, bring your elbow towards your outer thigh. Finally, slowly exhale. Repeat this exercise as often as you can.
An excellent way to do side crunches is on a mat. A mat will help you avoid sprains and strains to your side. You can use a barbell for additional resistance if you have one. For more intense side crunches, you can use a weighted barbell. Keep your back straight and do the side crunches with a lightweight.
The benefits of side crunches include building a strong core and improving balance. In addition, they can help correct postural issues, prevent lower back pain, and improve heart health. They also help you lose weight. For beginners, you can perform this exercise with a dumbbell or a barbell. This way, you’ll work your abdominal muscles safely and effectively. In addition, you can modify the workout to meet your specific needs depending on your fitness level.
The best time to perform side crunches is after completing a workout involving the oblique muscles. Try two or three sets of 15 to twenty repetitions on each side, depending on your strength level. You’ll feel so much better after doing these exercises every day!
The main goal of side crunches is to burn fat and build muscle. Therefore, it would be best if you did these exercises regularly to reduce the risk of injury. Then, add a dumbbell to the workout to help you develop more muscle and reduce the chance of injury. After performing three sets of side crunches, rest for a few minutes before doing another. Once you’ve completed all three sets, you’ll be ready to move on to the next exercise.
Final Thoughts on Side Crunches
Side crunches are variations of regular crunches. Side crunches are performed with a bent knee and elbow curled towards the head. Next, you lift yourself sideways and touch your elbow to your hips. Repeat on the other side. Side crunches target the oblique muscles. Listed above are some variations of this exercise. Perform 1-3 sets of 10-15 reps for best results.
When performed correctly, side crunches are safe and effective. Side crunches target the rectus abdominis, the outermost abdominal muscle associated with six-pack abs. However, other abdominal muscles are also engaged in side crunches. As such, they can also be dangerous if done improperly. For this reason, side crunches are not a good choice for people with back problems or other issues.
Side crunches are an essential part of your core workout and must be added to your workout routine if you want that six-pack ab look. It’s recommended to do side crunches only after assessing the benefits and risks of the exercise mentioned in this article.
