Crunches Cause PainJanuary 15, 2008 {!firstname}, Your Youth Soccer Fitness Newsletter #23 Crunches Cause Back Pain Part 1? Only sent to verified subscribers. Reaching over 25 countries! (To unsubscribe scroll to the bottom) Welcome to our new subscribers! ====================================== {!firstname}, Do Crunches Cause Back Pain? It's been about two weeks since I last wrote you an email. {!firstname}, have you started your off season training program yet? I remember back in elementary school many years ago they used to have the fitness levels of excellence -Gold, Silver and Bronze. Doing as many sit ups (crunches) as you can in minute was the test. Even back then in the mid seventies we all had difficulty completing it. My friends would complain about back pain or head pain from hitting the floor from trying so hard. In the end most of us were just happy to complete the test. Now many years later with a better understanding of proper exercise technique and injury prevention and also having suffered the consequences of poor exercise selection I find that many people who work with young soccer players still use the abdominal crunch as part an exercise routine. I feel it serves limited or no purpose to an overall strength and conditioning program. There are several reasons why I prefer other exercises to increase abdominal strength to the crunch. First, the "Rectus Abdominus" ( 6 pack muscle) is superficial. It is a "pretty" muscle. Since it is superficial it does little to support the rest of the body for function. Second, completing fifty to a hundred crunches a day will only lead to very poor posture that will affect both the lower body and upper body. For players looking to burn fat, doing crunches is less effective than other exercises. ********** Product Promo********* Vince Del Monte otherwise known as "Skinny Vinny" is at again with a New Years Promo until Wednesday. Click here to find out more. ******************************* Due to the location of the attachments of the "rectus adominal" muscle, the chest is brought closer to the stomach causing many postural problems. It is my guess that many young soccer players who are obsessed with six pack abs do too many abdominal crunches and end up with rounded shoulders and hip flexor problems. In part two of this topic I will give you what I believe are better exercises and why. {!firstname}, thank you for subscribing to the Youth Soccer Fitness Results Newsletter. {!firstname} please send me any questions or feedback regarding strength, power, endurance, nutrition and injury prevention for youth soccer. I will cover it in any following newsletters. Cheers! Yours in youth soccer fitness Mike Grafstein B.Ph.Ed,CAT(C),CSCS,YCS,RMT ps www.soccer-nutrition.com is coming down forever by Sunday January 20, 2008. It is part of Youth Soccer Power Unleashed "Mike's Youth Soccer Power Unleashed is an essential buy for any parent whose child is an up and coming soccer player. The detailed program design answers all your questions and provides you with exercises that work. As a Fitness Expert myself, I recommend this program for any budding soccer star" Daniel Munday www.dpmperformance.com.au ================================================== I N C O M E O P P O R T U N I T Y FOR WEBMASTERS AND E-ZINE PUBLISHERS: http://www.youthsoccer-power.com/affiliate.htm
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