Is it time to leave the classic abs of a lifetime? Scientific data debates between the benefits and risks of this exercise.
He crunch Abdominal training has strong detractors because many argue that it can hurt your back. In fact, it is easy to notice that each time fewer personal trainers include it in routines.
It has been decided to replace the work of this classic movement with isometric contractions that are executed while we tone upper or lower limbs. In other words, we are urged to keep our “abdomen hard” during squats, low rows, or press military. In theory, this is how we protect the spine and get the same results.
But not everyone agrees with this position. The crunch abdominal could not injure the back if it is done with some precautions and without overdoing it. Let’s see what sports science has to say about it.
What is abdominal crunch?
The crunch abdominal is the classic exercise that we have ever performed or seen performed. The person stands horizontally, flexes their legs and raises their scapulae to about 30 degrees. with the back, in order to touch the knees with the hands.
It is an optimal movement to tone the rectus abdominis muscle. It is located in the front area of the core and is responsible for the aesthetic six-pack. Specifically, this exercise targets the upper part of that muscle. It also activates, although to a lesser extent, the obliques, which are on the sides of the belly.
Beyond that the crunch may or may not hurt the back, over time variants appeared. It can be performed on a medicine ball, add a swing when lifting to improve oblique activation, or load weights in the hands with dumbbells.
What are your risks?
All muscle toning exercises have risks. Most of them appear when we execute an incorrect technique or if we are about to do them without warming up beforehand.
He crunch Abdominal training does not escape this reality and there has always been controversy about its effect on the back. Repeatedly flexing the spine on a hard surface does not appear to be healthy biomechanics.
Since 1989 there are scientific studies that analyze the effect of flexion-extension on the vertebrae. The continuous repetition of the movement seems to increase the tension accumulated in the intervertebral disc, which is a gelatinous substance essential for the spine to bend.
Analysis with small groups of human volunteers detected intervertebral disc migration when bending the spine at different angles. However, there was no more compelling evidence in this regard. At least until 2007, when an investigation was able to certify that certain body postures are capable of displacing the intervertebral disc into abnormal positions.
So what does this theory posit? That the repetition of the abdominal crunch can damage the back by displacing the intervertebral discs, favoring the appearance of a herniated disc.
The question is not so clear
Despite the evidence we already mentioned, a 2016 post is allowed to differ. According to the authors, there is no data from a specific investigation that analyzes the performance of the crunch abdominal pain in humans and the hypothesis that it can hurt the back.
Scientific studies were conducted in other settings or with animals. No one recorded herniated discs derived from the classic abdominal.
Yes, there are theories supported by the form of action of the anterior rectus muscle. But these are theories, not proven effectively.
For example, Stuart MacGill, a renowned doctor in the world of sports science, has his own view on the crunch abdominal pain and the ability to injure the back. For him, the ability to support flexion and extension by the spine is limitedsince it is an unnatural and not very functional movement.
That is, the rectus abdominis is a muscle for the stability of the core, not to repeatedly fold in on itself. Over the course of a day, we bend our spines many times, but not to a great degree or with the continual need for our hands to touch our knees.
Therefore, in his theory, he crunch abdominal damages the back if the recommended repetitions are exceeded. The spine would reach a limit, and beyond it, the tissues would have no way to withstand the pressure.
And if we do not exceed the limit?
The theory that the spine supports a specific number of flexion cycles is not absolute. In any case, if we refer to physical exercise, there will be moments of rest and there will even be days between a training session. crunches and another.
Thus, tissues have the ability to regenerate. Therefore, the accumulation of an alleged damage would not be such.
In addition, if we do not exceed the recommended amount of crunches for a day or a week, we will also have in favor the protective effect of intra-abdominal pressure. By bending the spine in the exercise, the pressure inside the belly is increased and this increase, according to studies, reduces the force that the tissues of the back have to bear.
Are there people more susceptible to hurting their back with abdominal crunch?
Most training exercises have contraindications. There are people who should not perform this or that movement because they are more likely to injure themselves doing so.
In it crunch abdominal pain, there are situations that require special care:
- Smaller framed women and children may be more at risk. One study found that short stature promotes unnatural movements when exercising the abdominals, which unbalances the forces.
- Personas con osteoporosis u osteopenia. The finding of lesions in the vertebrae of women with osteoporosis when flexing the belly alerts about the effect on the spine and the possibility of increasing the risk of fractures.
- Patients with herniated disc. The existence of a herniated disc with pain contraindicates the crunches ABS.
What is the suggested rep limit?
A person without health conditions in their spine could perform crunches crunches up to a certain limit. How many repetitions to be sure?
According to Contreras and Schoenfeld, on each day of training, you should not exceed 60 repetitions. Of course, if we are just starting out, that value will be lower, perhaps half, until the toning improves and the series can be gradually increased.
The rest between one abdominal session and another is also relevant. We have known for almost 30 years that muscle recovery protein synthesis requires about 48 hours. Hence leave intermediate days without crunches would be the basic and optimal strategy so as not to overload the rectus femoris.
And at what time of day to do them? It seems best to avoid the morning and moments immediately after office hours. The spine is more susceptible to damage to the intervertebral discs when we have spent several hours in a lying or sitting position.
Do I eliminate traditional abs from my routine?
The fear of hurting the back with the crunch abdominal pain may be reason enough to remove it from the routine. Nevertheless, this does not have to be blunt.
An adult person, of average build, with no history of spinal problems, can do up to 60 repetitions a day with a day of rest between each session.
Too it is possible to modify some characteristics of traditional exercise to reduce the risk. For example, the hands can be placed under the lower back to maintain the normal curvature of the spine when rising.
The incorporation of the medicine ball is valid. This attachment partially protects the spine and changes the activation of the abdominal muscles, while promoting core stability. core.
As for the angle, it is not necessary to complete a full flexion. If we do not exceed 30 degrees when bending, the same will be enough, being able to use a range of just 10-15 degrees.
There are many ways to promote stability in the core of our body. If you consult with training professionals, they will know how to guide you to combine different movements that contribute to this end.
What you should not do is fall for the popular viral challenges on the internet, which encourage you to complete 100 or 200 crunches every day for a month. Here science has no doubt: you will end up injuring your back.
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