Crossover crunch: whittle a tight middle with this basic abdominal exercise - Perfect Form

Muscle & Fitness/Hers, August-Sept, 2002 by Michael Yessis

technique

* Lie on your back with your knees bent, both feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart.

* Gently place your fingertips behind your head.

* Keeping your left shoulder in contact with the floor, inhale and raise your right shoulder up and toward your left knee as high and as far as possible. Begin exhaling when you pass the sticking point.

* After reaching the top position, hold momentarily as you forcefully exhale the remaining air in your lungs. Inhale as you return to the starting position.

* Keeping your right shoulder in contact with the floor, raise your left shoulder up and toward your right knee as high and as far as possible, exhaling as you pass the sticking point. After reaching the maximum twist position, hold momentarily and forcefully exhale the rest of the air in your lungs. Inhale and return to the start.

* Continue rising and twisting from side to side at a moderate pace.

performance

* For best results, raise your crossing shoulder as high as possible as you go into the twisting action. Shoulder rotation is key: Think of rotating your upper body around the opposite side, which maintains contact with the floor.

* For a slightly easier variation, cross your arms over your chest. If you choose to keep your hands behind your head, be careful not to pull on your head and neck, which can injure the cervical spine.

* You can also complete all reps for one side first, then switch.

* If you have difficulty moving through the recommended range of motion, secure your feet to stabilize your legs and hips. Even though this involves the hip flexors, it won't create any problems or cause you to develop these muscles to any extent.

* If you find that you can't get a sufficiently strong contraction of the obliques with this exercise, try doing the reverse trunk twist in which you'd move your legs and hips rather than your shoulders. Many women find this variant more effective because of the greater muscular involvement.

primary muscles involved

The abdominal muscle group is composed of the rectus abdominis, internal oblique and external oblique. The rectus abdominis is a long, slender muscle that runs vertically down the abdomen. It has tendinous strips that run across the muscle to provide the divisions usually seen in a "ripped" midsection. The external obliques cover the front sides of the abdomen from the rectus abdominis to the latissimus dorsi, and their fibers run diagonally to form a "V" shape. Located directly under the external obliques, the fibers of the internal obliques form an inverted "V" shape. In the lower abdomen, the fibers are fairly horizontal. If you secure your feet during the oblique crunch, your hip flexors will become involved but not to a great extent.

sports uses

This exercise is beneficial in bodybuilding and general fitness for strengthening and defining the abdominal musculature, especially the obliques. These muscles play a major role in flattening the abdominal wall. Because the range of motion is somewhat limited in this exercise, however, its sports benefits aren't as great as if you did full-range exercises such as the reverse trunk twist.

The rotational action of the obliques is very important in turning the shoulders, which is vital in gymnastics, diving, wrestling and in the martial arts. It's also valuable in the execution of sports skills such as softball pitching, javelin throwing, the shot put, softball batting, golf and boxing.

muscle/joint actions

When your shoulder moves up and across your body, the external oblique on that side and the internal oblique on the opposite side are strongly involved. They perform spinal rotation in which the shoulders rotate around an axis formed by the side of the upper body in contact with the floor. The rectus abdominis is also involved as you raise your shoulder, but it functions more as a stabilizer as you move into the twisting action.

RELATED ARTICLE: the champ's training diary

BY SUSIE CURRY, 2000-01 FITNESS OLYMPIA CHAMPION

tips from a pro

* I do a variation of this exercise in which I keep one foot on the floor, cross the other ankle over the top of my bent knee and lift my opposite-side shoulder.

* After getting into position, I crunch up and twist, hold for a second or two, then slowly come down.

* Concentrate on the contraction on the way up, but stay focused on -- and really feel -- the negative portion as well.

* Point your chin toward the ceiling, and use your obliques to move through the twisting motion. Rest your hands behind your head, being careful not to pull on your neck.

* Do three sets of 20-25 reps, then switch sides and repeat. I start by doing all my reps on one side before going to the other.

* Beginners should do as many reps as possible up to 25. If this exercise is new to you, keep your arms relaxed to make sure you don't strain your neck. If this is a problem, keep your hands at the sides of your head, near your ears, or cross your arms in front of your body.

* Avoid using momentum. You won't get the development and shape you want if you move too quickly and lose concentration.