eFitnessConnection

 

 

 

 

 

1. Bicycle Maneuver
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Place your fingers on the side of your head just behind your ears.
• Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold.
• 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.

 

 

2. Crunch on 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.

 

3. Basic Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on 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.
• Tip: Don't clasp your fingers behind your head. Don't tuck your chin to your chest, keep your head up.

 

 

4. Vertical Leg Crunch on Exercise Ball
Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs on top of exercise ball.

• 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.
• Contract your abdominal muscles by lifting your torso toward your knees.
• Make sure to keep your chin off your chest with each contraction.
• Exhale as you contract upward; inhale as you return to the starting

 

 

5. Superman
Lie face down on a mat with your arms stretched above your head (like superman)

• Raise your arms and legs about 5-6 inches off the ground (or as far as you comfortably can).
• Hold for 3 seconds and relax.

 

6. Plank on Medicine Ball
Lie face down on an exercise ball with your elbows right next to your chest.

• Keep that position with your toes pointing the floor.
• Hold abdominals tight, and keep your spine neutral.
• Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, and then lower; repeat.

 

 

7. Crossover Crunches
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.
• Begin a crunch, but twist your torso and touch your left elbow to your right knee.
• Return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions before switching over to the other side.

 

 

8. Weighted Curls with Medicine Ball or Weight Plate
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

• Hold a medicine ball, exercise ball or weight plate to your chest (start with 5 pounds).
• Push your lower back into the floor flattening the arch and hold.
• Curl up just enough to lift both your shoulders off the floor a few inches.
• Hold for a count of 2 and return to the start position.

 

9. Abdominal Pull-In

Assume push-up position on ball with hands on floor beneath shoulders and shins restin on ball.

As you exhale, contract abs, lift hips and pull knees and ball in toward chest, keeping head, neck, and arms steady.

Inhale and slowly roll ball out to start.

 

 

10. Knees to Chest

Lie flat on the floor, keeping your lower back and head in contact with the floor, using your arms to push yourself down.
Squeeze a soft ball between your knees.

Lift both feet off the floor, keeping your ankles together and knees pressing the ball throughout the movement, whilst keeping your lower back pulled in to the floor.

Inhale and smoothly pull your knees towards your chest. Avoid letting the legs come up or go out to far, as this can cause injury to the lower back.

Focus on keeping your abs contracted throughout, especially on the outward phase, where your feet should not touch the floor.