esterday, we presented some myths and facts about abdominals.
Today, we have five exercises to get those fab abs!
1. Basic crunch
- Lie on an exercise mat with your knees bent and hands behind the head.
- Lift your upper body off the floor using your upper back and shoulder blades.
- Do 10 repetitions of the basic crunch.
Trainer's tip: Never allow the chin and chest to touch.
2. Leg lift
- Lie on the exercise mat with your hands below your lower back.
- Keep your legs up straight so that they are perpendicular to your upper body.
- Move them back and forth, but not beyond, a 45 degree angle.
Trainer's tip: Never lift your lower back off the floor or let the legs go all the way to the floor.
3. Bicycle pump
- Lie down in the basic crunch position with hands below your head.
- Lift your upper body while twisting it towards the left, bringing your right knee towards it and vice-versa.
Trainer's tip: Keep your lower back flat on the floor and the upper back curved in a C-shape.
4. Sit-up
- Lie down in the basic crunch position with hands crossed at the chest.
- Ask your trainer to stand on your toes.
- Lift your upper body off the floor, keeping your chin up.
Trainer's tip: Never jerk your body while lifting yourself off the floor. Do it slowly and do only a few at a time until you get the technique right. This is not for beginners or people with lower back problems.
5. Rowing
- Lie down on the floor with your hands below the lower back. Bend your knees and bring them as close to your chest as possible.
- Keeping your back stable on the floor, lift your buttocks inward. Your hips should only reach a couple inches off the ground.
- Lower your hips until the top of your buttocks touches the floor.
Five-minute abs!
If you are hard-pressed for time and want to increase the intensity of your ab workouts, try this:
Choose any three exercises and do 20 repetitions of each without stopping. For example:
- 20 reps of basic crunch
- 20 reps of bicycle pump
- 20 reps of leg lifts
Stretch. Repeat any three combinations two more times.
Caution: Do not perform any exercise without expert supervision.
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Samreedhi Sharma runs her exercise studio Sizewise, exclusively for personal training and nutrition. She has written a number of columns on fitness, and is the international contributing writer for www.protraineronline.com and www.bodybuilding.com
