Manual

29
Abdominal Exercises
Ab Crunch
Reverse Crunch
START ACTION
START
• Lieonyourbackwithyourhead
resting on the bench.
• Bendyourkneesfully.
• Noteyourheadandkneepositions,
and maintain throughout the
exercise.
• Reachovertheheadandgraspthe
bench with each hand.
• Relaxtheneck.
• Tightenyourabsandslowlycurlyour
hips toward your rib cage.
• Moveasfarasyoucanwithout
using your legs to get momentum,
and do not curl up onto your
shoulder blades.
• Slowlyreversetheactionandreturn
to the starting position without
relaxing.
FINISH
START ACTION
START
• Grabadumbbellwithbothhands,as
shown.
• Lieflatonthebenchholdingthe
dumbbell over your upper chest.
• Placeyourlegsbehindtheroller
pads, as shown, for added support,
with your feet flat on
the floor.
• Yourlowerbackcanstartoutflator
in a normal arch.
• Tightenyourabsandonlycurlyour
torso, slowly moving your lower ribs
toward your hips.
• Moveasfarasyoucanwithout
moving the hips and neck.
• Thelowerbackshouldnotlose
contact with the bench when fully
crunched.
• Slowlyreversetheaction,returning
to the start position keeping tension
on the abs throughout the movement.
FINISH
Muscles worked
Rectus abdominus and obliques
Bench position
Flat
Success tips
• Donotliftyourheadorchin.Yourhead
should follow the rib motion, rather than
lead it.
• Maintainnormalneckposture.
• Moveslowlytoeliminatemomentum.
• Allowexhalationupandinhalationdown,
without exaggerating breathing.
Muscles worked
Abdominal area, including the rectus abdo-
minus and the obliques
Bench position
Flat
Success tips
• Tightenyourabsbeforeyoumove.
• Keepkneesandhipsstationary.
• Allowexhalationupandinhalationdown,
without exaggerating breathing.
• Contractasfarintothemovementsas
possible.
• Lowerundercontrol.
• Theamountofbendinyourhips
determines the degree of difficulty.
Perfoming the exercise with less bend
(so that your knees are farther from your
chest) increases the difficulty.
• Beginnersshouldbefullybent,bringing
your legs near the abs.