Basic Abdominal Crunch
Lie on your back, bend your knees, placing
your hands on the sides on your head.
Contract your abs and flatten your lower
back against the floor.
Slowly lift your shoulder blades one or two
inches off the floor.
Exhale as lift, keep your neck straight and
chin up.
Hold for a few seconds (don't hold you
breath).
Slowly lower while keeping you abs
contracted.
Repeat up to 20 reps this perfect form for
each rep.
To make it more difficult, use an exercise
ball
Bicycle Crunch Exercise
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back
pressed to the ground.
Put your hands beside your head.
Bring your knees up to about a 45-degree
angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion.
Touch your left elbow to your right knee,
then your right elbow to your left knee.
Breath evenly throughout the exercise
Crunch on an Exercise
Ball
Sit on the exercise
ball with your feet flat on the floor.
Let the ball roll back slowly and lie back until your thighs and torso are
parallel with the floor.
Contract your abdominals raising your torso to no more than 45 degrees.
To work the oblique muscles, make the exercise less stable by moving your feet
closer together.
Vertical Leg Crunch
Lie on your back and extend the legs up with
knees slightly bent.
Contract your abs so and raise up until your
shoulder blades leave the floor.
Keep your chin up; don't pull on your neck.
Keep the legs in a fixed position.
Lift your torso toward your knees.
Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps
Long Arm Crunch
Lie on your back with your arms over your
head with hands clasped and arms close to your ears.
Keep you knees bent with feet flat on the
floor.
Contract your abs and lift your shoulder
blades off the floor.
Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
How to Do the Reverse Crunch
Lie on your back with knees bend and feet on
the floor
Place hands on the floor or behind the head.
Bring your knees up towards the chest so
they bend about 90 degrees
Contract your abs and lift your hips off the
floor in a very small movement.
Lower and repeat.
Plank Exercise
Start in the plank position (see photo 1)
with your forearms and toes on the floor.
Keep your torso straight and rigid and your
body in a straight line from ears to toes with no sagging or bending.
Your head is relaxed and you should be
looking at the floor.
Hold this position for 10 seconds to start.
Over time work up to 30, 45 or 60 seconds.
Plank with Leg Lift
Start in the same plank position (photo 1) as above with your forearms and toes
on the floor.
Keep your leg straight with your toe flexed.
Slowly raise one leg 5-8 inches off the
floor (photo 2)
Hold 1-2 seconds and slowly to the floor.
Switch legs and repeat.
Do about 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Plank with Arm Lift
Start in the same plank position (photo 1)
as above.
Carefully shift your weight to your right
forearm.
Extend your left arm straight out in front
of you.
Hold 3 seconds while keeping your core
tight.
Slowly bring your arm back to starting
position.
Switch arms and repeat.
Do 2-3 sets of 10 reps.
Reverse
curl
Lie on your back with your knees bent and
feet flat on the floor.
Place your palms past your knees
Contract your abdominal muscles and curl back
slowly until your fingertips reach your knees.
Breathe in as you curl back.
Slowly up to the start position.
Breathe out as you go up.
Tip: keep your head in line with your spine
Reverse
curl twist
Lie on your back with your knees bent and
feet flat on the floor.
Place your palms past your knees
Contract your abdominal muscles and curl
back slowly until your fingertips reach your knees.
Breathe in as you curl back.
Breathe out as you go up.
While in position twist from left to right
placing your finger out side your knee.
Slowly up to the start position.
Tip: keep your head in line with your spine
Crossover Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and
feet flat on the floor.
Cross your right leg over your left leg so
your right ankle is resting on your left knee.
Place your fingertips to the side of your
head just behind your ears.
Contract your abdominal muscles as though
you are doing a crunch
Slowly twist your torso and touch your left
elbow to your right knee.
Exhale as you lift up
Slowly lower to the starting position
Inhale as you lower
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions
and switch legs and do the same number of reps on the other side.
Oblique Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and
feet flat on the floor.
Slowly drop your legs to the left and let
your knees rest near the floor.
Place your fingertips to the side of your
head just behind your ears.
Push your lower back into the floor
flattening the arch and hold.
Curl up slowly so both your shoulders lift
off the floor a few inches.
Hold for a count of 2 and return to the
start position.
Repeat for the desired number of reps and
switch to the other side.
Tip: Use a ball for more effect
Alternating Superman
Lie face down on a mat with your arms
stretched above your head (like superman)
Raise your right arm and left leg about 5-6
inches off the ground (or as far as you comfortably can).
Hold for 3 seconds and relax.
Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
V-Sit Abdominal
Begin in a seated position, contract your
abdominal muscles and core, and lift your legs up to a 45-degree angle.
Reach your arms straight forward or reach up
toward your shins as you are able.
Maintain good core posture and a strong
spine.
Hold this "V" position for several
seconds to begin. As you get stronger, hold the position longer.
Return to your starting position slowly.
Just before you reach the floor, stop and
hold the position for a few seconds.
Repeat this entire movement several times