Beginning Exercises
Be sure to stretch for a few minutes before you begin.
1. Basic Crunch |
|
This exercise |
|
targets the | 1 |
upper abdom- |
|
inals. Lie on |
|
the exercise |
|
mat and bend |
|
your knees as |
|
shown. Hold |
|
the handle as |
|
shown. Curl |
|
up to about a |
|
|
45¡ angle, and then lower yourself to the starting posi- tion. This completes one repetition. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions.
2. Basic Crunch with Raised Feet
This exercise |
| |
2 | ||
focuses on the | ||
lower abdom- |
| |
inals. This |
| |
exercise |
| |
should be per- |
| |
formed in the |
| |
same way as |
| |
the Basic |
| |
Crunch, but |
| |
your feet |
| |
|
should be held about one inch off the floor during the exercise. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions.
3. Basic Oblique Crunch
This exercise
3
is for the oblique abdominals. Perform this exercise in the same way as the Basic Crunch, but turn your knees to the
side as shown. Complete 5 to 7 repetitions, change your knees to the opposite side, and then perform another 5 to 7 repetitions.
Intermediate Exercises
As your abdominal muscles become stronger, and you can comfortably perform several repetitions of the beginning exercises, it is time to move on to the inter- mediate exercises. Remember to stretch for a few min- utes before you begin.
4. Raised-knee Crunch with Knees Held to Chest
This exercise |
| |
4 | ||
focuses on | ||
| ||
the upper |
| |
abdominals. |
| |
Lie on the |
| |
exercise mat |
| |
and bring |
| |
your knees |
| |
toward your |
| |
chest as |
| |
|
|
shown. Curl
up to about a 45¡ angle, and then lower yourself to the starting position. Keep your knees raised throughout the exercise. Complete 10 to 15 repetitions.
This exercise can also be performed by resting your feet on a chair.
5. Raised-knee Crunch with Knees Lifted to Chest
This exercise | 5a | |
targets the | ||
| ||
lower abdom- |
| |
inals. The |
| |
starting posi- |
| |
tion is shown |
| |
in photograph |
| |
5a. Curl up to |
| |
about a 45¡ |
| |
angle, bring- |
| |
ing your | 5b | |
knees toward | ||
| ||
your chest at |
| |
the same |
| |
time; then |
| |
return to the |
| |
starting posi- |
| |
tion. Perform |
| |
10 to 15 rep- |
| |
etitions. |
| |
|
4