How to do proper crunches to (theoretically) get six-pack abs

by Marshall Brain

Is it possible for a normal person who isn’t a teenager or a 20-something to have six-pack abs? Obviously it is possible for some people, because Sylvester Stallone has amazing abs. But Stallone wouldn’t really fall into the “normal” category. Even Mike Sorrentino of Jersey Shore, who has perhaps the most famous set of abs today, makes it sound a little like rocket science:https://www.youtube.com/embed/tonwXNQSAKM

And he is a 20-something.

If you are a 40-something (or more) who wants to get abs, what are you going to do?

Theoretically, you need to know how to do crunches. Here’s how to safely and properly do simple crunches:

Here is bodybuilder Brent Kutlesa showing how its done:

After you master this basic stuff, you can go advanced, like this:

At the beginning of the video he talks about the need to be lean if you want to have a six-pack. This is a non-trivial level of lean, like 5% to 8% body fat. That’s obstacle number 1. Obstacle number 2 is the pain and the time, as seen in the video. Here again he emphasizes the body fat thing in a humorous way:

The following video advocates leg raises on a pull-up bar: “Bodybuilder Brent Kutlesa does leg raises to help develop his shredded abs and upper torso”:

A variation:

How does Stallone do it? In this video Stallone talks about the best exercises he uses, including:

  • The wheel
  • Crunches on an exercise ball
  • Leg lifts while hanging
  • Crunch on roman chair with bar and twist
  • Sitting crunches with resistance
  • Basic crunch
  • Hinge crunch
  • Bicycle

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