A trainer says you can strengthen your core while protecting your spine with these three crunch alternatives

Man wearing a white tshirt performing a bird dog exercise on a purple exercise mat. there's a turquoise sofa and green exercise ball behind him.

Crunches are perhaps the most well-known core exercise, but arguably not always the most effective—they’re also not suitable for everyone, particularly beginners.

Rachel MacPherson, a personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, and certified pain-free performance specialist, says she doesn’t program crunches for people who are just starting out.