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Cross crunches
The Cross Crunches present an alternative variation to Criss Cross exercises and exhibit notable similarities to Bicycle Crunches. The distinction lies in the brief pause after each repetition, unlike the continuous movements in Bicycle Crunches.
Body position
For Cross Crunches, lie on your back and interlock your hands either in front of your body or behind your head. Keep your gaze upward while slightly bending your feet at hip-width apart. In alternative variations, place one foot on the opposite knee, keeping only one leg bent. Ensure that your entire back touches the ground. Now you can start with the Cross Crunches.
Movement execution
Initiate the classic Cross Crunches by lifting your upper body and twisting in one direction. The upper body should not be fully upright but should still form an angle of at least 45 degrees to the floor. Breathe out during the upward movement and guide your elbow past the opposite knee. After a short pause, return to the starting position and continue with the other side.
In this variation of Cross Crunches, bend one leg and place the foot on the knee. Then, lift your upper body upwards and pull the diagonal elbow towards the knee. Breathe out and ensure not to overextend your head. Return to the starting position without completely laying down your shoulders. Instead, proceed directly to the next repetition. After the desired repetitions, place the other foot on the opposite knee to target the oblique abdominal muscles on the other side.
In this variation of Cross Crunches, perform the movement with raised legs. Initially, lift both legs so that they form a right angle parallel to the floor. Then, start the exercise by lifting your upper body and bringing one elbow towards the diagonal knee. The knees can move towards the elbows, but the movement should not be excessive to maintain tension in the abdominal muscles. Breathe out and then return to the lying position to continue directly with the other side.
Stressed muscles and common mistakes
For more detailed insights into the activated muscle groups and commonly made mistakes during the execution of Dynamic Bicycle Crunches, I refer you to the respective page on Criss Cross / Bicycle Crunches.
Alternative variations to cross crunches
To make your training more diverse, you can also try similar exercises or other variations of Dynamic Bicycle Crunches.
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