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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
abdominus 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.