Choosing Exercises—“The Crunch”

by Brad J. Schoenfeld, PhD, CSCS,*D, CSPS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D, FNSCA and Stuart McGill, PhD
Personal Training Quarterly April 2017
Vol 4, Issue 2

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Should personal trainers include the crunch exercise in an exercise program? The answer should always be, “it depends;” however, arriving at the best answer requires a process.

This article originally appeared in Personal Training Quarterly (PTQ)—a quarterly publication for NSCA Members designed specifically for the personal trainer. Discover easy-to-read, research-based articles that take your training knowledge further with Nutrition, Programming, and Personal Business Development columns in each quarterly, electronic issue. Read more articles from PTQ »

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7. Roig, M, O’Brien, K, Kirk, G, Murray, R, McKinnon, P, Shadgan, B, et al. The effects of eccentric versus concentric resistance training on muscle strength and mass in healthy adults: A systematic review with meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine 43(8): 556-568, 2009.

8. Peterson, D. Proposed performance standards for the plank and inclusion consideration into the Navy’s physical readiness test. Strength and Conditioning Journal 35(5): 22-26, 2013.

9. Schoenfeld, BJ. Does exercise-induced muscle damage play a role in skeletal muscle hypertrophy? The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 26(5): 1441-1453, 2012.

10. Schoenfeld, BJ. Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy (1st Ed). Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL; 2016.

11. Snook, SH, Webster, BS, McGarry, RW, Fogleman, MT, and McCann, KB. The reduction of chronic nonspecific low back pain through the control of early morning lumbar flexion: A randomized controlled trial. Spine 23(23): 2601-2607, 1998.

12. Tampier, C, Drake, J, Callaghan, J, and McGill, SM. Progressive disc herniation: An investigation of the mechanism using radiologic, histochemical and microscopic dissection techniques. Spine 32(25): 2869-2874, 2007.

13. Teyhen, DS, Rieger, JL, Westrick, RB, Miller, AC, Molloy, JM, and Childs, JD. Changes in deep abdominal muscle thickness during common trunk-strengthening exercises using ultrasound imaging. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy 38(10): 596-605, 2008.

14. Yates, JP, Giangregorio, L, and McGill, SM. The influence of intervertebral disc shape on the pathway of posterior/posterior lateral partial herniation. Spine 35(7): 734-739, 2010.

15. Veres, SP, Robertson, PA, and Broom, ND. The morphology of acute disc herniation: A clinically relevant model defining the role of flexion. Spine 34(21): 2288-2296, 2009

About the author

Brad J. Schoenfeld, PhD, CSPS,*D, CSCS,*D, NSCA-CPT,*D

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About the author

Stuart McGill, PhD

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Stuart McGill is a Professor of spine biomechanics at the University of Waterloo. He has authored over 240 scientific journal papers and has mentored ...

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