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Dull pain with crunches....???

prettygentle Posts: 142 Joined: 2002/06/12	2002/06/13, 06:53 PM Hi, all. New one here, and I've tried doing crunches for my abs all different ways. But I always have a dull achey (sp?) pain in my back, lower rib cage area, on both sides. It may even be a "burn" but it sure feels different than what I get in other muscles... I know about anatomy... would it be the intercostal muscles working all the way around causing that or am I consistantly doing something wrong?? Midsection really needs a lot of work and is pretty weak... I'm the mom of 6... All responses appreciated! prettygentle aka pg
Philia2 Posts: 4,078 Joined: 2001/10/19	2002/06/14, 02:18 AM Try stretching your back and obliques before doing your abs exercises and also do the movement slooowly and control the breathing (exhale when you contract your abs). Hope this helps. -------------- - Nina :o) La vie est toujours aussi belle.....
prettygentle Posts: 142 Joined: 2002/06/12	2002/06/14, 07:41 AM Thanks Philia... I haven't tried the stretching first, although I do practice proper breathing :) pg
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2002/06/14, 10:16 AM Welcome to ft, PG! You may also want to make sure your form is proper when doing crunches. Your lower back muscle should not be involved at all in the movement...just your torso. Don't forget to pause about 1-2 seconds on the top of the movement. Good luck! -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever!
Sempai Posts: 447 Joined: 2002/06/06	2002/06/14, 09:26 PM Hi I am a new one as well, but as for crunches I do plenty, you mentioned you are doing them different ways do you get the pain in your back for all of them or just some? I have seen many people do crunches incorrectly, they do them fast with a jerking motion that can pull the back muscles. or they come up to high. If you come up to the point of almost a sit up you are engaging your back muscles. Go slow just till your shoulder blades are off the ground hold and lower. As fare as your sides if you are putting any circular motion into your crunch you should feel it. leg position maters two you can put your legs in many positions if you are doing them with your feet on the floor knees bent all the time mix it up. The crunch set I use is. reg. pos. 50, legs in chair position crossed at ankles 50, legs straight up opp. hand to opp. foot 50, legs in butterfly possition 50, knees bent and over to one side 50, move knees to other side 50, knees bent feet flat on floor start to the right and go to left in a circular motion 25, same but left to right 25, after each 100 roll over on your stomach put hand flat on the floor and raise your uper body to stretch the stomach and lower back hold stretch 15 sec. relax repeat three times. ============ Quoting from prettygentle: Hi, all. New one here, and I've tried doing crunches for my abs all different ways. But I always have a dull achey (sp?) pain in my back, lower rib cage area, on both sides. It may even be a "burn" but it sure feels different than what I get in other muscles... I know about anatomy... would it be the intercostal muscles working all the way around causing that or am I consistantly doing something wrong?? Midsection really needs a lot of work and is pretty weak... I'm the mom of 6... All responses appreciated! prettygentle aka pg =============
prettygentle Posts: 142 Joined: 2002/06/12	2002/06/14, 11:16 PM Well, Sempai, you have that area covered, don't ya?? LOL To answer the question, yes, I get it all different ways. I make sure I keep my back on the floor and try to push my belly button into my back (or the floor, if you prefer...) and pull my shoulders toward my pelvis. I don't lift too far off the floor, just the shoulders (and head of course). I try to keep my hands at my sides aiming for my knees. I do them slow and controlled, hold on the contraction and give a little extra squeeze before I lower back down. Maybe I should just keep at it? I'm betting it's just a weakness thing, as the pain isn't sharp and it doesn't really last long after I'm done. Leave it to me... pg ;o)
Sempai Posts: 447 Joined: 2002/06/06	2002/06/15, 08:21 AM You sound like you got it under control, How long have you been working on your crunces and how often do you do them?. have you tried crossing your arms over your chestwith your finger tips resting on the collar bone. I find this gives a better result over all. One more thing what does (LOL) mean? Good luck to you. ============ Quoting from prettygentle: Well, Sempai, you have that area covered, don't ya?? LOL To answer the question, yes, I get it all different ways. I make sure I keep my back on the floor and try to push my belly button into my back (or the floor, if you prefer...) and pull my shoulders toward my pelvis. I don't lift too far off the floor, just the shoulders (and head of course). I try to keep my hands at my sides aiming for my knees. I do them slow and controlled, hold on the contraction and give a little extra squeeze before I lower back down. Maybe I should just keep at it? I'm betting it's just a weakness thing, as the pain isn't sharp and it doesn't really last long after I'm done. Leave it to me... pg ;o) ============= -------------- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember the ark was built by amateurs, The Titanic was built by professionals.
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/06/15, 08:41 AM LOL = laugh out loud
Sempai Posts: 447 Joined: 2002/06/06	2002/06/15, 09:45 AM Thank you, It may have been a silly question but Ive never seen it. ============ Quoting from lumina20: LOL = laugh out loud ============= -------------- Never be afraid to try something new. Remember the ark was built by amateurs, The Titanic was built by professionals.
Lumina20 Posts: 966 Joined: 2001/10/31	2002/06/15, 10:57 AM it was not at all a silly question, if you don't know something the only solution is to ask. some other acronyms you might see are ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing) and LMAO (laughing my a-- off), and the list goes on and on
prettygentle Posts: 142 Joined: 2002/06/12	2002/06/15, 12:51 PM You sound like you got it under control, How long have you been working on your crunces and how often do you do them?. have you tried crossing your arms over your chestwith your finger tips resting on the collar bone... Not long, really. And not very often... Heh, doing good so far, huh?? My exercise routine on here has them twice during the first week, so we'll see how that goes... Thanks for your help and advice! pg
qualters Posts: 343 Joined: 2002/04/21	2002/06/15, 02:56 PM When I do crunches I try to keep my lower back pressed against the bench. This relieves the pressure on my lower back reqion and hip flexors. Try that too! Good Luck! -------------- BQ AMERICAN MADE
Sempai Posts: 447 Joined: 2002/06/06	2002/06/15, 03:14 PM Good luck! let me know if the pain goes away after a while ============ Quoting from prettygentle: You sound like you got it under control, How long have you been working on your crunces and how often do you do them?. have you tried crossing your arms over your chestwith your finger tips resting on the collar bone... Not long, really. And not very often... Heh, doing good so far, huh?? My exercise routine on here has them twice during the first week, so we'll see how that goes... Thanks for your help and advice! pg =============
kitten- Posts: 23 Joined: 2002/06/10	2002/06/16, 02:47 PM Hey pretty! :) Good luck with the crunches!!! I'm doing them myself... it's my least favourite kind of exercise. :\
Shocker_X12 Posts: 35 Joined: 2002/05/29	2002/06/17, 05:37 PM When I do crunches it is a habbit I guess, I like to adjust my "equipment"(dont know what its called) to a 90 Degree angle and grab a 45lb plate and hold it over my chest and raise all the way to the top of the 90 I find this gives me a really BAD burn in my abd, but I guess its not a crunch anyway, is it?
prettygentle Posts: 142 Joined: 2002/06/12	2002/06/18, 03:57 PM Thanks Kitten, good luck to you, too! Shocker, I don't know if I'd consider that a crunch or not... ;o) But if it works for you, keep it up! pg
apikka Posts: 11 Joined: 2005/03/04	2005/03/04, 12:34 PM WHAT ARE FORWARD CRUNCHES...THIS I GOT FROM ARNOLD WORKOUT IN TERMINATOR 3...AND IS 4X25 SETS ENOUGH...IN HIS WORKOUT HE HAD ONLY 100 REPETITION EACH DAY.THANKS. -------------- ARI KJP