Ask a Trainer: I Do 100 Crunches a Day — Why Don’t I Have Abs?!

The classic crunch works the rectus abdominis, which is why most people focus on that move — for that “six-pack” look. The problem is, a crunch-only routine isn’t doing much for strengthening your core — or the rest of your body for that matter. “You need to have variety,” says Holly Rilinger, Nike master trainer.

To vary your workout and let those other ab muscles come out to play, Rilinger recommends including exercises such as planks, squats, and lunges. “[These] also require you to engage your abs and your core … and actually give you more bang for your buck,” says Rilinger.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Brian Clista, MD

Dr. Clista is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He previously served as a National Health Service Corporation Scholar in the inner city of Pittsburgh for 11 years.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts