How to Do
How to Do Backstroke Crunches
The backstroke crunches should begin with a good posture to avoid injury. Brace the spine by drawing your lower abdomen inward. Your core muscles should be activated to support your posture as you perform the exercise.
If any pain is experienced, immediately stop the backstroke crunches.
Beginning
Backstroke Crunch Beginning
1. Your hand enters the water with your pinky finger first and your arm straight, in line with your shoulder. To increase your reach, rotate your body slightly.
2. Slightly bend your elbow as you pull your arm down and beneath the water. Swipe your arm down and through the water, pushing the water away from your outer thigh.
3. Begin to straighten your arm as it approaches your body, lifting it out of the water with your thumb leading.
4. To resume the stroke, move your arm in an arc, with your pinky first entering the water.
5. Your arms should be moving in an alternating pattern, with one sweeping up out of the water and the other dragging beneath the water. This will result in a smooth and continuous forward movement across the water.
Movement
Backstroke Crunch Movement
1. Start in a crunch position with shoulders off of the ground, knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and arms off the ground to the side.
2. Starting with one arm, raise it overhead in a backstroke motion. Do this while holding the crunch motion.
3. After completing the backstroke motion, rest that arm to the side and repeat with the opposite arm.
Benefits
Backstroke Crunch Benefits
The triceps, pecs, glutes, hamstrings, and quads are primarily used in freestyle. In addition to your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, backstroke employs a lot more of your latissimus dorsi, which is the muscle that runs across your back.
Exercise Aliases
How To Do Backstroke Crunches, Crunch Variations
