No matter which variations you follow, crunches have the advantage over sit-ups of being able to better target abdominal muscles. "Because the movement is smaller, you can control momentum more," ...

Skip sit-ups and try this 8-move dumbbell workout to build a stronger core and hips. While sit-ups remain popular at gyms, on ...

Keep your entire upper body on the ground ... It’s a variation on the standard crunch and will work your abs, but it’s much less likely that it will cause injury. In a reverse crunch, you ...

The ab crunch. You can add weight if you want ... This is a targetted move so make sure it’s just the upper body that’s moving. Having your hands on your thighs can minimise potential movement ...

The seated ab crunch provides a safer alternative for targeting ... bringing the knees as far toward the upper body as possible. The greater the bend at the knees, the easier.

This exercise works the ab and oblique muscles. A toe tap crunch adds an extra level to the traditional crunch by targeting the upper and lower abs. Lie flat on your back. Lift your arms and legs ...

Traditional crunches, where you only lift your head and shoulder blades straight up and down, "primarily targets the rectus abdominis or upper abdominal muscles," says Hess. The movement also ...

The ab crunch. You can add weight if you want ... This is a targetted move so make sure it’s just the upper body that’s moving. Having your hands on your thighs can minimise potential movement ...