10 Workout Exercises You’re Doing Wrong

6. Crunches

Not only are crunches one of the exercises that are most frequently performed incorrectly, but they are one of the most over-performed exercises in the world.

Many people feel that they have to do hundreds of crunches and sit-ups in order to obtain the ads they want. Unfortunately, this misconception has been propagated in the media, as well.

There is a common misconception that in order to get six pack abs we must do crunches until we pass out. But doing too many crunches can actually compromise your workout, at times making it completely ineffective.

You do need to challenge and break down your muscle in order to rebuild it, but you don’t want to completely exhaust your muscle and injured. In addition to doing too many crunches, another mistake that people often make is to perform the crunch incorrectly using improper form.

Many people will perform the crunch with their hands clasped behind their head and essentially execute each motion by pulling their head forward using their arms. This not only does nothing for the abdominal muscles, but it also places strain on the neck.

To perform the crunch more effectively, maintain a flat form through your neck and shoulders and focus on a point on the ceiling slightly behind you.

Use your abdominal muscles to lift your shoulder blades off the ground. In order to avoid pulling on the neck, many people alter the positioning of their hands so that one hand is on either side of the head without the fingertips touching.

While you want to support your neck, altering your hand position can help ensure that you don’t pull on your neck, which is something you definitely want to avoid.