Want to achieve a flat, toned stomach? Then do me a favour.
Stop this persistent obsession with the CRUNCH.
Enter any gym, up and down the land, and chances are you will spot countless exercising adults cranking out endless crunches, in the pursuit of a flat and toned stomach.
Really it should hold a small place in your exercise program.
It should never be a recurring theme or a goal of yours to keep cranking out more and more reps...
The typical crunch can actually do you more harm than good if practiced regularly, as it tightens your hip flexors, pulls on your neck and leaves you with poor posture.
On the few occasions that you use the crunch, it must be performed with good form.
Like any muscle, the abdominal wall can be overworked, leading to tightness that can pull the body out of alignment.
There are many more satisfying ways to work the core, but gaining a flat stomach actually has very little to do with crunching.
It comes down to good old fashioned nutrition.
If you never did another crunch again you could still achieve a toned abdomen.
Exercises like squats, lunges, overhead presses and ball work all work the stomach, as well as hundreds of other important muscles into the bargain.
To target the tummy muscles alone, your best bet is to focus on static hold exercises, that force your abdomen and low back to co-contract.
Search for 'Front Plank', Side Plank' and Horse Stance Horizontal' in any search engine, and learn the best way to strengthen and tone your core.
But if you want to physically see those stomach muscles you need to remove the layer of body fat that may be lying over the top.
That's where nutrition plays a role.
Unless you get your eating and alcohol consumption under control you may never see those muscles that have been working hard all this time!