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Ab Crunches or Core Training: What's The Difference?

By: Carlina White

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Core training is a popular topic in fitness nowadays. Seems like everything abs these days is being inaccurately labeled core which can be confusing. What's the difference between core training (properly defined as functional core performance) and the standard abdominal crunch, and why should you care? You should care because the end result, how your body looks and performs, is significantly profound.

Let's begin by explaning both these terms. Did you know "crunch" is a colloquial word and not a real scentific term found in any exercise science college textbooks such as Exercise Physiology by McArdle, Katch, and Katch? It was in fact coined back in the early days of bodybuilding. Traditionally a crunch or sit-up is performed lying face up on the ground with bent knees, then lifting the upper torso and knees together. Most anatomical experts define a crunch as a simultaneous flexion of the spine, mainly lumbar, and hips. Crunches primarily develop your two, superficial abdominal muscles, the rectus or "six pack" and obliques. The aim of crunches is to build hypertrophy and definition, which is purely cosmetic according to Dr. Jerrold Petrofsky, Dept. Chair of Physical Therapy at Loma Linda University in California and Steve Thomas, MS, RPT of Steve Thomas PT in Brentwood, California. Only developing just these two ab muscles without properly strengthening and conditioning your entire core produces muscle and structural imbalance throughout your entire trunk and body, which often leads to back injuries and pain. According to the US Consumer Safety Commission, back pain is the second most common compliant after the common cold.

The main idea behind functional core training is to strengthen the stabilizer muscles in your entire trunk or core. Your core is defined as the entire region beginning from the base of your skull down through and including your hips. Your core is an amazing anatomical composition of about 12 muscles that wrap around your midsection like a corset. Some of these important muscles are the transverse abdominus, erector spinae, obliques, pelvic floor (PC), illiopsoas, and multifudus to name a few. All body movement starts from your core. The objective of functional core training is to establish a proper of sequence of muscle firing rhythms that will create good, strong upright posture and alignment, a strong back, good balance, gait, and, finally, movement by your legs and arms. In other words your core is essential for every movement in life. A balanced, strong body requires a well-aligned, balanced, strong core. From an aesthetic point of view, when properly trained the core acts like a corset; holding and pulling in your entire abdominal region tight and flat- particularly that hard-to-train lower belly pooch sag problem area.

Core exercises can be done in a variety of positions. The best core moves are performed in an athletic stance position and oftentimes use fitness products like a stability ball or bosu to create instability forcing your trunk to instinctively use all your stabilizer, core muscles. Before you begin, the key to a successful core move that completely engages all your core muscles must begin with a proper set up. You must ensure that you maintain good or neutral spine alignment before and throughout each and every move. Good alignment is achieved by keeping your ears stacked directly over your shoulders and hips, pulling and keeping your shoulders down, pulling your belly in tight, and doing a continuous, soft Kegel (also known as a pelvic floor pull-up) exercises. You can find and activate your pelvic floor muscles by stopping your urine mid-stream. Then, you can do a easy Kegel by pulling your pelvic floor muscles up and into your pelvic cavity.

Most fitness buffs do high number of crunches or sit-ups to achieve flat, sculpted six packs abs. However, because sit-ups only train the two, superficial ab muscles, the biomechanics are all wrong. Crunches or sit-ups do not train the important core muscles that truly act as an abdominal brace by pulling your mid-section in nice and tight. Thousands of repetitive, boring crunches won't help you get the flat, sculpted abs of your dreams. Only well executed, functional core performance moves will create washboard abs, along with developing a muscular, healthy back.

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