As promised, I am going to introduce you to some of my favorite abdominal exercises. Some of them you can do at home but some require gym equipment like this one, called the decline crunch. This is one of my favorites because it creates a natural tension in the center of your abs before you even move, which assists in keeping your abs flat throughout the entire exercise.
Tip: When completing any abdominal exercise, focus on keeping your abs tense throughout, as this enhances the effects of the movement and protects your lower back.
You do not need any weight for the decline crunch because your own body weight is enough, but you do need an adjustable bench (shown below).
Sit on the declining bench with your feet under the holding pads. Place your hands behind your head, but don't pull your head, just rest your hands there. Crunch forward toward your knees while keeping your abs tight and then return to your starting position and repeat. Check out a video here. Complete three sets, 25-50 reps
Variation: twist to the side as you come up to get some oblique action.
If you are feeling ambitious, you can grab a partner and a medicine ball and throw the ball as you come up and catch it as you are going back down, all the while keeping your muscles tense and your movements fluid. You could also use the medicine ball when twisting side to side, to work the obliques even more!
More to come soon!
Tip: When completing any abdominal exercise, focus on keeping your abs tense throughout, as this enhances the effects of the movement and protects your lower back.
You do not need any weight for the decline crunch because your own body weight is enough, but you do need an adjustable bench (shown below).
Sit on the declining bench with your feet under the holding pads. Place your hands behind your head, but don't pull your head, just rest your hands there. Crunch forward toward your knees while keeping your abs tight and then return to your starting position and repeat. Check out a video here. Complete three sets, 25-50 reps
Variation: twist to the side as you come up to get some oblique action.
If you are feeling ambitious, you can grab a partner and a medicine ball and throw the ball as you come up and catch it as you are going back down, all the while keeping your muscles tense and your movements fluid. You could also use the medicine ball when twisting side to side, to work the obliques even more!
More to come soon!
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