Day 7Īt last the end was in sight! On the final day of this challenge, I strapped a set of the best ankle weights and got crunching.Īnkle weights can easily cause joint strain, so if you’re new to the move, this is one to skip. On day six I put the weights to one side and did slower bicycle crunches with just my body weight. This upped the ante, and I could feel my core working hard, however by the final few reps on day five, I could feel I was tensing in my neck. On days five and six, I returned to the solid ground but practiced holding one of the best adjustable dumbbells between my hands as I crunched. Five reps in I was shaking, and by the end of day four, my core was on fire. Grabbing a Bosu ball, I opted to do the bicycle crunches on there, forcing my core to work much harder to keep my body stable on the uneven surface. On day four, I tagged my 100 bicycle crunches onto the end of a strength session in the gym. Doing exercises that involve a hold increases the muscle's time under tension, which can help you to build muscle. I found these a lot harder than the faster reps, probably because I was forcing my core to activate for longer during the hold. I did five sets of 20 reps, 10 on each side. For this I slowed things down, pausing for a count of two each time my elbow reached my knee. On day three, I decided to mix things up and try bicycle crunches with a hold. Result! As a runner, a strong core is imperative - it can help you run faster and with better form. I did my 100 reps before heading out the door for a tempo session and found I was able to better engage my core on the run. As a reminder, it’s not recommended you work the same muscle group day after day, as your body needs time to recover - this is when your muscles repair, and grow stronger. I could feel the crunches in my core more quickly this time, but probably because I was working the same muscles as yesterday. 100 reps later, I felt a slight twinge in my abs, but nothing too dramatic. The key to getting results from bicycle crunches is moving slowly, and with control - it’s important not to race through the reps, as more often than not, you won’t actually work your abs as hard as your hip flexor muscles will take over. On day one, I opted for two sets of 50 reps, trying to reach my knee to my elbow each time. I do bicycle crunches pretty regularly as part of my ab workouts, so I wasn’t expecting this one to be all too difficult. Tom’s Guide readers will know, this isn’t my first weird fitness challenge for the brand - a few weeks ago I did 100 plank jacks a day for a week, and the week before that, 100 donkey kicks.
Here’s my training diary from the week: Day 1 What would 700 bicycle crunches do to my core? To find out more, I unrolled my yoga mat and got to work. I did 100 bicycle crunches a day for a week - here’s what happened Keep your eye gaze down towards your toes and your hands relaxed on your temples. The movement should come from the abdominal muscles, not your arms. If your neck hurts during the bicycle crunch, ensure you’re not physically pulling on your neck with your hands. To avoid arching your back, think about keeping your core engaged, sucking your belly button towards your spine, and perform the entire exercise slowly, with control.
It’s important to keep your lower back pressed into the mat for the entire exercise - not doing so can put pressure on your spine.
0 kommentar(er)
