Crunchless Abs

Had a good laugh when this informercial came on the other night:  

For fun, and since I'm in the mood to tear apart some junk-science (instead of turning the blind eye that I was so well versed in from years of health club employment), let's break down some of the 'wisdom' on the above linked website.  

Developed by noted fitness expert (name withheld), her unique exercise method focuses on each core muscle like a laser, targeting your upper abs, those hard to reach deep lower abs, your left and right side obliques, and wrapping all the way around to your lower back.

• Unique exercise method? Looks like a combination of pilates and aerobics classes to me.  What comes around goes around...just steal it from someone and re-brand it - great!  
  
• Targets the upper abs and lower abs? Sounds like crunches...left and right obliques? Sounds like crunching/twisting movements. Lower back? HA! Good luck without pelvic stabilization.  

Best of all, you won't be doing hundreds of crunches, because now you can workout with the new 
Crunch Free Abs™ method. Just spend 10 Minutes a Day to sculpt those firm, rock hard abs you've always wanted.

• I'm all for not doing hundreds of crunches, as it's possible to target the area effectively with whatever medium chosen (crunch, machine/cable flexion, etc.) in a much more efficient way.  
• Ignoring the appeal to emotion at the end of the last sentence, 10 minutes per day?  How about once, maybe twice per week? How easy are these workouts that they can be completed multiple times per week?  One set on our MedX Ab Isolator makes me concurrently want to vomit and never train abs again.  One set less than once per week.  So probably 10 minutes per year... :)

Our abdominal core is an amazing anatomical composition of 12 muscles that wrap around us like a girdle and when properly trained, holds our midsection in flat and tight. However, recent research shows that standard floor crunches train only 2 of these critically important core muscles.

• No debating the physiology outlined above.  And certainly crunches do not target the entire 'core', as it's become trendy to label the muscles that support the spine along the midsection...as this fitness expert so wisely points out next:

"I see it all the time, especially in women who often have that lower pooch sag. Regular crunches just don't target all of the muscles in your core. Targeting your entire core requires a new way of thinking; a new way of exercising that doesn't involve crunches." - Fitness Expert

• Lower pooch sag? Exercise can only do so much - particularly when most attempts at fixing the problems fail.  Example: when reminded to 'pull the bellybutton into the spine' during ab exercises, an individual will notice a distinctly higher quality of contraction.  How many are aware of this?
• Targeting the entire core requires a new way of thinking? What, like evading reality and making up stuff? Seems to works for the government, so why not the exercise and rehab industry?

Look, this is simple stuff.  In order for the abdominals to contract, the spine must flex to some degree.  The greater the flexion, the higher the degree of contraction (particularly if the hip flexors are neutralized).  In other words, one must CRUNCH.  Looking at the positions these models assume during the informercial, spinal flexion is occurring - they are crunching! Just not performing traditional floor crunches...they apparently like to assume awkward positions and distract the viewer with silly hand and leg movements.  Hey, everyone needs a hobby.

In order for the obliques to contract, one must rotate the torso - preferably while having the hips locked (to prevent further movement via the hips and unload the obliques).

In order for the lower back to work through it's full ROM (72-degrees), once again the hips must be neutralized (to prevent the stronger hips and thighs from dominating the movement).  

All these things are possible via the MedX Core line of equipment at Back2Health: Spinal Fitness.  In addition, we can strengthen your neck to better withstand everything from computer work to a car accident - and all in about 10 minutes per week.

Finally, if you wish to see your abs, you need to eat appropriately.  Perhaps extra activity is necessary as well in moderation - assuming one is already performing challenging resistance training 2-3 times per week.