Bridge your abs gap

August 13th, 2009 at 04:09pm Mike DeDoncker

Among exercisers’ most common complaints is that their abs workout hurts their back or their neck.

I tend to think it’s because many of them, unconsciously or otherwise, pull their head forward as they move upward from the starting (lying down) position of an abdominal crunch or a sit-up. This creates an unnatural strain on the vertebrae in the neck and, depending on how hard they pull, could also affect the thoracic and lumbar regions.

There are a couple of tricks to remind yourself not to pull on the head — such as forcefully pressing your tongue against the roof of your mouth or pretending you are holding a large apple or potato against your chest with your chin and that you can’t squeeze it — but a better solution would be to switch up the exercises.

An abs bridge — also known as a plank — is a great alternative to always lying on your back and performing an exercise that requires spinal flexion (something not recommended for those with osteopoenia or osteoporosis) every time.

To perform an abs bridge lie prone (down position of a push-up) on a mat with feet together, and place both elbows directly under both shoulders. Lift yourself up until your shoulders, back, hips (no sagging in the middle) and knees and form a straight line angling down to your feet.  Hold the position as long as possible — 15 seconds would be a good start — and gradually build the amount of time you can hold it.

Enhance your core strength by also performing side bridges. To do this, lie on your right side with legs straight and feet together. Place your right elbow directly under your right shoulder and push yourself up until your torso, hips and knees are in a straight line angling down to your feet. (Once again, no sagging in the middle). Hold as long as you can, then switch and do it on the left side.

Not only will bridges give you an alternative to your crunch or sit-up routines, your abs may feel stronger the next time you crunch.

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