Health
Crunches by age: Here's how many you should be able to do
How many crunches can you do — and how does that stack up with others your age?
That was the question posed by “FOX & Friends” on Monday, when fitness expert Joseph David challenged hosts Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones to compete in a crunches challenge.
In the segment, Kilmeade did crunches and Jones did sit-ups with a 25-pound weight.
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“Your core is the base of everything, and the No. 1 thing you have to be able to do is pick yourself up, mentally and physically — so it starts with core,” said David, who is a certified personal trainer with Life Time in New York.
“Any movement is good movement.”
Fitness trainer Joseph David shared an estimate of how many crunches men and women should be able to complete based on age. (Fox News)
Below is a breakdown of how many crunches men and women should be able to complete based on age, according to David.
People in their 20s should be able to do 40 to 50 crunches.
People in their 30s should be able to do 30 to 40 crunches.
People in their 40s should be able to do 20 to 30 crunches.
People in their 50s should be able to do 15 to 25 crunches.
People 60 and over should be able to do 10 to 20 crunches.
“There’s no magic number you ‘should’ be able to do based on age, since fitness levels really vary.”
Celebrity personal trainer Kollins Ezekh echoed those guidelines, but also noted that it’s all about what works for each individual.
“There’s no magic number you ‘should’ be able to do based on age, since fitness levels really vary,” he told Fox News Digital. “If you can’t do that many yet, no worries — just focus on getting stronger over time.”
Benefits of crunches
Crunches are essential for building core strength, according to Ezekh, who is based in Los Angeles.
“A strong core is super important because it keeps everything stable,” he said.
On Monday’s “FOX & Friends,” fitness expert Joseph David challenged hosts Brian Kilmeade and Lawrence Jones to compete in a crunches challenge. (Fox News)
“Whether you’re walking, working out or just sitting, your core muscles are engaged. If your core is weak, your back and other muscles have to do extra work, which can lead to pain or injury.”
It’s not just athletes who need a strong core, he added — “everyday activities like bending down to tie your shoes or picking up groceries become way easier when your core is in check.”
Crunches mainly target the “six-pack” muscles in the abs, but they’re also great for improving posture, balance and overall stability, according to the trainer.
Crunches mainly target the “six-pack” muscles in the abs, but they’re also great for improving posture, balance and overall stability, according to the trainer. (iStock)
Having a strong core helps with all daily movements, from sitting up straight to lifting things without throwing out your back, he said.
“They’re not just about getting abs — they help with basic movements and can help prevent back pain, too.”
Getting started with crunches
Those who are new to crunches should take it slow and focus on good form, according to Ezekh.
“A lot of people make the mistake of yanking their neck or using momentum to do the move. The key is to keep the movement coming from your abs,” he told Fox News Digital.
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The trainer suggests starting with easier versions like partial crunches (lifting the shoulders a little off the ground) or bent-knee crunches, which are easier on the back.
“Start with just a few — like five to 10 — and build up as you get stronger,” he recommended.
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“And don’t be afraid to mix in other core exercises, like planks or pelvic tilts, to help build strength without jumping straight into crunches. The goal is to stay consistent and gradually get better.”
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An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
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Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
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The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
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The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
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This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
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“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
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While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
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Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
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Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
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The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
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After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
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These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
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However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
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A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
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The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
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