8 benefits of doing crunches that you may not have known about

A versatile Muscle group that we depend on daily even if we don't realize it.

Physical exercise brings many benefits to our health, both physical and psychological.

The abdominals are a muscle group that is located in the middle of the body and that conditions a large part of our movements. Working this area indirectly affects the rest of the body and improves, for example, our body posture. Working your abs helps prevent injury, aches and pains.

Obsessing about the abs is not a good option, as this can lead to overtraining.This can cause us to overtrain that area. For those who want to work on their physical appearance, if they really want to mark the core area, it is useless to spend hours and hours working that area. The best results appear when a mixed training is performed, that is, strength and aerobic.

• Recommended article: "How to lose belly: 14 tips for a slim figure".

Benefits of doing sit-ups

But far from the impact that our abs can have on our body image, developing this part of the body can help us in our day to day and our daily lives.

You are probably wondering: What are these benefits? What do I get from abdominal work? besides a beautiful body? Below you can find the answer to these questions.

1. Reduces back pain

Strong abs are beneficial for the back, especially the middle and lower back. When we have poorly worked abs we are forcing the back to work harder and support more weight.. That is why it is essential to work the core for any daily activity. For example when bending down to pick something up.

If we distribute the weight to the abdominal area, we will have less risk of feeling back pain. Abdominal work helps this muscle to lift more weight and fatigue less.

2. Improves posture

Therefore, one of the most important benefits of working this area of the body is to strengthen the abdominal muscles, which helps to maintain a good posture and relieve tension in the back. Strong abdominals improve good postureThis reduces wear and tear on the spine.

Poor posture is a problem because it can lead to complications such as herniated discs and, with age, wear and tear on certain areas of the spine can cause the natural posture to be deviated, causing the body weight to be distributed inappropriately and, in turn, other problems to appear. In addition, a good posture makes us physically more attractive.

3. Helps prevent injuries

As you can see, abdominal work not only helps reduce back pain, but correct posture when doing any daily work prevents injuries. Either, as mentioned in the previous point, to prevent complications such as a herniated disc. prevent complications such as a herniated disk or to avoid lower back pain when performing a when performing a bad gesture, strong abdominals help us to prevent the onset of serious physical problems and ailments.

4. Improves balance

Working the abdominals improves the control of body balance, because they are the support of our trunk, and if these muscles do not do the work, another part of our anatomy will do it. if it is not these muscles that do the work, another part of our anatomy, namely the back, will do it.i.e. the back. The results of this can be disastrous for this part of the body. The fact is that almost every movement we make involves the lumbar area and, consequently, can cause the lumbar area to develop much more than the abdominal area.

To find balance and equilibrium, it is necessary to do specific abdominal work, because otherwise problems such as scoliosis or lordosis could appear. Balance comes into play every dayBalance comes into play every day: if you walk on an uneven surface or when you take a wrong step on a curb.

5. Breathe better

Physical training and breathing training go hand in hand. The development of stronger respiratory muscles, such as the diaphragm and intercostals, translates into better core strength, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.translates into better core strength, according to a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. At the same time, a stronger core allows for easier and more correct breathing, so if we get used to it we will perform better by maximizing the amount of oxygen we get.

6. Improve sports performance

All sports use the core of the body for stabilization and action. Whether it's catching a ball, throwing a ball, or rotating the torso when swimming, the function of the abdominal area is key..

All of these movements emanate from strong abdominal muscles and, in addition to preventing injury, this aids in injury recovery and healing. Training the abdominal area has an indirect effect on athletic performance. For example, it helps us to kick harder, swim faster or jump higher.

7. Work on functional strength

Functional strength is the strength needed to carry out day-to-day activities, i.e., it is the strength you use to perform the tasks you do on a regular basis. This is normal, since this group of muscles is involved in a huge variety of movements and tasks. By working the abdominal area you will notice the results in your daily activities, not only when practicing a sport..

8. Protected organs

Among the benefits of having strong abdominals are that they protect our organs. The abdominal area is a part of the body where most of the vital organs of our body are located, so it is important to have a thick layer that keeps them well insulated from the environment. The abdominals act as a shield to protect them..