Topic: does my back suck?

[Metahead]

i cant really do crunches or sit ups. whenever i do them, no matter what style, my back hurts after about 15. how can i fix this? i want abbs and cant get em

[eryn o]

That's not necessarily a bad sign. Crunches are kind of notoriously bad for your back. Some people actually say you should never do them, though I'm not gonna go that far. I'd guess you just have weak back muscles and iffy technique.

The best way I've ever found to work out my core is just by doing full body work that uses it. But if you want to spot train, I'd suggest doing things other than crunches to strengthen your abs and back. Some ideas you could google: supermans, v-sits, tuck-ups, bicycle kicks.

Also, might sound weird, but something that helped my core strength and stability a LOT were headstands/handstands. Start with tripod headstands, go to yoga headstands, forearm stands, etc. Just make sure you have technique right at each step and can hold for a while before you move on.

[David Jones]

My tailbone hurts while doing crunches. Not my back though 8I

[zayn]

My tailbone hurts while doing crunches. Not my back though 8I

sit on a pillow then.

[RunCincy]

My tailbone hurts while doing crunches. Not my back though 8I

sit on a pillow then.

how do you perform typical crunches in a sitting position?

[Chris Salvato]

Why on earth are you guys doing crunches?  What are you expecting them to achieve?

[zayn]

i dont do them they dont help me and my body.

[Dudley]

There are many beneficial exercises listed in the 'Exercises' section of APK
http://www.americanparkour.com/content/category/5/25/386/

Specifically targeting abs (and your core), I would recommend:
Quadrupedal Movement
    Basic, Gallop and Ground Kongs
Knees to Elbows
L-Sit
Windshield Wipers (Obliques)
Handstands

Many parkour conditioning drills will develop multiple sets of muscles, like your core, and help toward a goal of practical strength, not just aesthetics!

On a side note: pull-ups and climb-ups and are always another good thing to practice!

[eryn o]

There are many beneficial exercises listed in the 'Exercises' section of APK
http://www.americanparkour.com/content/category/5/25/386/

Specifically targeting abs (and your core), I would recommend:
Quadrupedal Movement
    Basic, Gallop and Ground Kongs
Knees to Elbows
L-Sit
Windshield Wipers (Obliques)
Handstands

Many parkour conditioning drills will develop multiple sets of muscles, like your core, and help toward a goal of practical strength, not just aesthetics!

On a side note: pull-ups and climb-ups and are always another good thing to practice!

Thanks for the link. There's so much beneficial information on this site that it's hard to know where to start or find it all (a good problem to have).

[Metahead]

There are many beneficial exercises listed in the 'Exercises' section of APK
http://www.americanparkour.com/content/category/5/25/386/

Specifically targeting abs (and your core), I would recommend:
Quadrupedal Movement
    Basic, Gallop and Ground Kongs
Knees to Elbows
L-Sit
Windshield Wipers (Obliques)
Handstands

Many parkour conditioning drills will develop multiple sets of muscles, like your core, and help toward a goal of practical strength, not just aesthetics!

On a side note: pull-ups and climb-ups and are always another good thing to practice!

nice man. ill do these. in answer to Chris, because its the only abb exorcise that i know of. i was hoping to get suggestions on new abb exercises

[David Jones]

Why on earth are you guys doing crunches?  What are you expecting them to achieve?

Lmao, I don't include them in my workout routine

[Josh Wright]

i cant really do crunches or sit ups. whenever i do them, no matter what style, my back hurts after about 15. how can i fix this? i want abbs and cant get em

Forget the crunches, seriously! Also, don't be fooled by those phony videos that say "GET A 6-PACK IN 3 WEEKS FROM DOING ___ 6 MINUTES A DAY!1!!1!"

If you want proper abs, clean up your diet, period. Abs are something along the lines of 90% diet (I may be a little off) and the rest exercise and genetics. So just eat healthier, and blend that with enough activity and you will be good.

Although, I see no reason to have a six pack. It proves nothing at all besides looks. I mean if you get one, all the better to you, but I don't believe it's a goal you should necessarily be striving for. Don't you want to be stronger and faster and now just look like you are?

I have somewhat of a 8-pack but I still am a pretty weak guy...

[VahnCruz]

I never do situps or crunches, I am a firm believer that the abdominal muscles are for support first and foremost. Lift a weight above your head and you can feel them tighten in accordance to keep you from tipping over. I would recommend deadlifts and 'good mornings' to help your back, and to teach your abdominal muscles and back muscle to work together.
my $.02 

[TR]

I am a firm believer that the abdominal muscles are for support first and foremost. Lift a weight above your head and you can feel them tighten in accordance to keep you from tipping over.

Try holding a 45lbs weight in front of you at arms length.

[zayn]

I am a firm believer that the abdominal muscles are for support first and foremost. Lift a weight above your head and you can feel them tighten in accordance to keep you from tipping over.

Try holding a 45lbs weight in front of you at arms length.

my bro used to make me hold books and stand like a "t" with my arms out for about 10min. it sucked but it does help...good times, good times.

[Yow]

My back used to hurt when I started doing them but after a while it stopped. Mostly it hurted because I was doing them in the floor but then I used a mat and haven't got any problems since then.

Seriously? Crunches don't do anything? I've been doing sit ups, leg lifts, and crunches for about 2 months now. If that doesn't help me then what can I do?

[VahnCruz]

I am a firm believer that the abdominal muscles are for support first and foremost. Lift a weight above your head and you can feel them tighten in accordance to keep you from tipping over.

Try holding a 45lbs weight in front of you at arms length.

Yep same effect, though when held out in front it has a greater impact on the back muscles. I prefer overhead because it is fairly even then.

[Sat Santokh]

Try holding a 45lbs weight in front of you at arms length.

I definitely wouldn't recommend this.  This would put you way over the healthy limit for stress on a disc and could potentially lead to disc herniations in the future which are no bueno.  When you hold out a weight at arms length it is something like 20 times its original weight on your spine.

[Andy Keller]

I definitely wouldn't recommend this.  This would put you way over the healthy limit for stress on a disc and could potentially lead to disc herniations in the future which are no bueno.  When you hold out a weight at arms length it is something like 20 times its original weight on your spine.

Sat! Where the *controversial word* did you come from? I haven't seen you around much in a while. How've ya been?

[Steven Low]

You're doing abs work and your back is hurting?

This means your hip flexors are engaged and tight, pulling on your lumbar spine.

Stretch out your hip flexors, and also DO CORE EXERCISES FOR YOUR LOWER BACK. Do not allow your back to arch during abs exercises, and cut a few of those out.

Crunches are useless so get rid of those. SItups should be replaced with someting else. Leg raises are fine.