Quote Originally Posted by KnottedYet
"do ab-crunches every day"

Crunches don't work so well, they strengthen the wrong muscles for stability. You are far better off holding your lower abs (the ones from belly button to pubic bone) flat all the time. Walking, sitting, standing, biking, ALL THE TIME FOR EVER AND EVER!! Oh, yeah, and if you can't breathe and hold 'em flat at the same time the cruncher-muscles have jumped into the game and taken over from the stabilizers.
hey Knottedyet
we had the health and fitness people come out to talk to us about crunches at my office.
they said #1 no amount of muscle exercises is going to make your abdomen flat you have to burn more calories too.

then they said that crunches were really good because they build up the muscles UNDERNEATH those abs that we are all glaring at in the mirror.
These muscles, and forgive me i've forgotten their names (Core is what they called them) ARE indeed what improves your posture, and relieves back pain.
They are very important and totally overlooked because you can't really see them. SO get down and do your crunches.

mimi