ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

Abdominal Tuck Crunches

Procedure: Lie on your back on the floor on a mat with your hands either crossed over your chest or under your head. Keep your legs slightly bent and pointed toward the ceiling. Lift your shoulder blades a few inches off the floor by crunching your midsection. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Abdominal Sit Ups

Procedure: Lie on your back on the floor on a mat with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Place your hands on either side of your head and execute the exercise by crunching your abs forward, so as to touch your elbows to your knees. Really focus on keeping your midsection contracted throughout the entire exercise. Slowly lower your body back to the start position and repeat.

Flat Bench Abdominal Leg Raises

Procedure: Lie flat on your back on a bench with your legs off the end, remaining parallel to the ground. Place your hands back next to your head and grab the edge of the bench. Keeping your legs as straight as possible, raise your legs as high as possible, making sure that your abs are doing the work. Lower legs back down to the start position and repeat.

Flutter Kick Oblique Crunches

Procedure: Start by lying on your back on a mat on the floor with your hands behind your head. Keep both legs straight about one inch off of the floor. Immediately raise one knee (your choice) up to the elbow that is of the opposite side and try to touch your elbow to that knee. Repeat this step with your other knee and elbow for as many repetitions as you can. The idea is to execute the movement in a smooth and controlled fashion so as to simulate riding a bicycle while lying on your back. Be sure to concentrate on having your abdominals do the work.

Oblique Crunches

Procedure: Lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your right hand over your right ear. Crunch your midsection up and across, trying to touch your right elbow to your left knee. Concentrate on contracting your midsection throughout the movement. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.

Dumbbell Oblique Side Bends

Procedure: This exercise works the oblique muscles of your midsection. Begin by standing up straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your palms in. Keeping your back straight, bend to the left as far as you can, then return to the start position. After finishing your desired reps, change the weight to your other hand and repeat on the opposite side. Remember to bend only at your waist.