Plank vs. Crunch

It's the time of the season for abs. Well, doing a ton of ab workout still won't get you that. Eating healthy and doing cardio will burn the fat you need actually see abs... but abs are not meant for show. Getting ripped abs should just be a side effect of your fitness. Abs are part if your core, which is: abs, lower back, upper back, chest, shoulders, obliques, and a bunch of small muscles that I don't know. Your core is meant to stabilize your spine and give you good posture (a pretty straight spine). Now, I once did sit-ups and crunches for months without much back work. My posture suffered and my back hurt for awhile. All those exercises do is build up your abs. Your lower back actually is under a lot of strain when you do sit-ups. Crunches are ok... but I've done some research on crunches and planks. Crunches are good because you can isolate the abs and add weight to gain muscle faster, but the problems are that you can isolate the abs (build too much abs, not enough back), and actually, doing a crunch curls your upper spine in, just like you do when you're on a computer, an iPod, or just writing or drawing with bad posture. If you do a lot of back strengthening, I'd say the crunch is an ok exercise. Otherwise, you pretty much are reinforcing bad posture.

What about the plank? The plank is, in my opinion, better. Why? It works your core, not just your abs. You might say that you can't get a good oblique workout with the plank, while with the crunch all you need to to is crunch a bit sideways and do the bicycle-crunch. Well, try a side plank. That will burn your obliques. You might also the plank is too easy and the crunch is good because you can add weight. Well my friend, you can add weight to the plank... but you really don't need to. Adding weight can be risky, if your back isn't straight because of the weight. It could be bad for your spine. You don't need weight though! Try doing a plank, then lift one of your arms off the ground. Still too easy? Now lift the opposite leg while keeping your hand off the ground. Now you're working. This will also test your balance. Balance will build a bunch of smaller core muscles and your obliques.

There is a ton you can do with the plank. Side planks, normal planks, arm and/or leg lifted planks. You can even get more challenging if you'd like! Try the the cliffhanger plank: to start, do a plank. Now, stretch your arm out place your hand out in front of you. Go on your finger tips so you can stretch out farther. Do the same with your other arm so your arms are straight, but bent at the shoulders so your torso is off the ground. Try lifting a leg on that one, it's a toughy.

Renegade rows. This is like a plank, but challenges the obliques and requires dumbbells. Get into the pushup position with your hands on the dumbbells. Now, preform a slow and controlled row, but keep your core still. You'll feel it.

So if all these exercises are still too easy, try the flagpole, the L-sit, planche, lever, handstand, etc.

Notice that all these exercises are static holds, and maybe have a little bit of movement, but nothing on the spine. It seems to me that static holds are usually better for the spine. Crunches and sit-ups crunch the spine in and out... thus worse for your spine.

A down side to a plank is that your shoulders may give out before your abs. That just shows you that your shoulders are weak! Work on them. You can tell where your core is weak with the plank. So do it!

I know I once said the crunch is a great exercise, but I've learned through research and experience that is probably isn't that great of an exercise after all. Do a plank instead!