Bodies in Motion... Minds at Rest: Abdominal Exercises

abs

Before we head for the gym (or workout room, or floor or wherever you're going to work out) here are a few handy hints to keep in mind about "the core"….

When doing your abdominal exercises ….

imagine there's an orange between your chin and neck and keep a small space between your neck and chin. By doing this you will save yourself some neck and back pain in the long run.
instead of just lifting your head and shoulders up (which is not the proper way of doing a sit-up or a crunch) pull your rib cage up towards your hips - you'll use your abdominal muscles in a more effective manner and you will be working the right muscles
do these exercises at a reasonable pace, fifty crunches in twenty seconds is not what one would call a reasonable pace. Remember: It's quality not quantity that counts!
Check your form and technique: Are you just moving up and down with little or no effort? OR are you keeping your form and performing each repetition with good technique? Some times (like this one) a little can go a long way in terms of results.
As was said earlier and shall be said once more: BREATHE!

Inhale on the way up and exhale on the way down.

The Crunch

The Crunch - a classic that has lived on through the ages

works your abdominal muscles (rectum abdomens)

Starting Position - Lying on your back with your feet a comfortable distance away form your , clasp your hands behind your head.

The Move - Bring your upper body up as far as you can. Use only your abdominal muscles, not your neck. Think of it as thought you are pushing your navel into the floor.

Lower your body slowly back to starting position. The full move should take you about two counts to do if you are working at a medium pace.

HINT: On the concentric contraction of the crunch breathe out through your mouth and on the eccentric contraction of the exercise breathe in using your nostrils.
Variations:

To change the intensity without the use of weights you can hold your arms out in front of you. As you go up on the concentric contraction brings your arms towards your knees till you can just about tap them with your fingers. If this modified exercise is too hard for you, you can take a towel and place it behind your knees and you can grasp the towel, one end in each hand. For a little harder exercise you can cross your arms on your chest and do the crunch. For an even harder version of the one that we originally gave you can always extend your arms over your head and then do the exercise, even harder: add a weight to hold in your extended arms. Do you notice a pattern going on here? You should, in order to increase or decrease the intensity of this exercise you simply can either lengthen your body (by extending your arms) or shorten it (by holding your arms out in front of you). The longer your body is, the more gravity you have pushing down on your body because the surface area is increased and vice versa.

Our old timeless adage: add more resistance by adding a weight. Cradle your head in your hands while holding a soft weight.

You can also add a little spice to this exercise by pulsing.

When you gone down halfway on the crunch, pause and hold it there for thirty seconds. Feel your abs work to keep your body up.

You can also prop your legs up against a wall and do the exercise. By propping your legs up you increase the intensity and add a target to which you can aim to reach with bringing your body up.

Spinal Stabilizer

works abdominals (specifically transverse abdominus), your back (erector spinae)

Starting Position - Get down on your hands and knees. Back is straight and parallel to the floor.

The move - Lift your right arm and left leg up. Try to balance yourself as you do this - and straighten your right arm and left leg until they are both parallel to the floor. Hold that position for one count. Slowly return to starting position and repeat the movement with your left arm and right leg. Keep alternating limbs. Do this for 15 reps on each set of opposite arm and leg. This whole move should take about two to three counts to do.
Variations:

To increase the intensity add ankle and wrist weights, gradually increasing the weight as you grow accustomed to the exercise.

Add the "Salute" - that is after your arm and leg are parallel to the floor bend both that arm and leg to a 90 degree angle, then extend once more and return to the starting position. This move should now be the length of four counts.

Sustained Leg Extension

works your lower abdominals

Starting Position - Lying down in the usual crunch position (knees bent at a comfortable distance away from your as you are lying down on your back) Extend your legs so that they form a 90 degree angle with your body. Make sure your back is glued to the floor. Keep your hands above or clasped behind your head. Don’t hold onto anything to keep your legs up.

The Move - Keeping your legs straight (bending only slightly at the hip) lower them to a point where you can hold it there at that angle. Hold this position for thirty seconds then release and relax.

HINT: If your legs begin to shake that means you’ve gone too far - ease back a bit and hold it there.

Variations:

Instead of extending your legs from the 90 degree angle, hold your legs 6 inches above the floor in the same extended straight legged position. Hold the position for thirty seconds then release.

Adding ankle weights is definitely going to add resistance to this challenging exercise.

Reverse Crunches

works your lower abdominals

Starting Position - Lying on your back brings your knees up and cross your feet, bring your knees closer to your . Clasp your hands above or behind your head.

The Move - Using only your lower abdominals bring your lower body up and then slowly lower back to starting position. Think of it as though you are trying to lift your off the ground.
Variations:

Once more ankle weights can be applied here or you could hold a body bar between your knees and your hams.

You can also lift your upper body to meet with your knees. Bring your whole upper body up, not just your neck. If you use just your neck to move upwards you will get a strain and a pain in the neck later on after your exercise, if not during.