Target Muscles
Internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis.
Starting Position
Lie on the floor or on an abdominal bench on your side with your knees slightly bent.
Place your top arm behind your head.
The Movement
Slowly exhale as you raise your head and shoulders a short distance off the floor or bench, aiming your ribs towards your top hip.
Hold for a count of two; then breathe in as you return to the starting position.
Repeat for the required number of repetitions; then perform the exercise on your other side.
Tips
Aim to reduce the space between your ribs and hips.
Do not worry if you don't reach up very far - concentrate on feeling the movement.
Keep your head in line with your body don't jerk it upwards.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Oblique Crunch
Target Muscles
Internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis.
Starting Position
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet either resting on a bench or flat on the floor.
Place your left hand by the side of your head, and your right hand on the floor for \ support.
The Movement
Lift your left shoulder diagonally, aiming it towards your right knee.
Hold for two counts; then slowly return to your starting position.
After completing the required number of repetitions, repeat the exercise on the other side.
Tips
Imagine your rib cage rotating to the side as you curl up.
Lead with your shoulder rather than your elbow.
Make sure you lower your upper body slowly back to the floor.
Do not twist your head, only your torso. . Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Internal and external obliques, rectus abdominis.
Starting Position
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet either resting on a bench or flat on the floor.
Place your left hand by the side of your head, and your right hand on the floor for \ support.
The Movement
Lift your left shoulder diagonally, aiming it towards your right knee.
Hold for two counts; then slowly return to your starting position.
After completing the required number of repetitions, repeat the exercise on the other side.
Tips
Imagine your rib cage rotating to the side as you curl up.
Lead with your shoulder rather than your elbow.
Make sure you lower your upper body slowly back to the floor.
Do not twist your head, only your torso. . Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Reverse Crunch
Target Muscles
Rectus abdominis (mainly lower part), transverse abdomins.
Starting Position
Lie flat on your back on the floor or on a bench with your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching (as for crunches).
Place your arms on the floor alongside your body, palms flat on the floor, or hold on to the sides of the bench.
Press your lower back to the floor or bench.
The Movement
Slowly curl your hips off the floor, aiming your knees towards your chest. Your hips should raise no more than 10 em.
Hold for a count of two.
Slowly lower your hips to the starting position, maintaining constant tension in your abdominals.
Tips
This should be a controlled, deliberate movement. Do not jerk, swing or bounce your hips off the floor; curl one vertebra up at a time.
Do not allow your abdominals to relax at the top of the movement or while you are uncurling.
Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Rectus abdominis (mainly lower part), transverse abdomins.
Starting Position
Lie flat on your back on the floor or on a bench with your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching (as for crunches).
Place your arms on the floor alongside your body, palms flat on the floor, or hold on to the sides of the bench.
Press your lower back to the floor or bench.
The Movement
Slowly curl your hips off the floor, aiming your knees towards your chest. Your hips should raise no more than 10 em.
Hold for a count of two.
Slowly lower your hips to the starting position, maintaining constant tension in your abdominals.
Tips
This should be a controlled, deliberate movement. Do not jerk, swing or bounce your hips off the floor; curl one vertebra up at a time.
Do not allow your abdominals to relax at the top of the movement or while you are uncurling.
Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Swiss Ball Crunch
Target Muscles
Rectus abdominis (mainly upper portion), transverse abdomins.
Starting Position
Lie across the ball, place your feet on the floor and keep your legs bent at the knees. Adjust your position so that the ball is comfortably positioned in the small of your back.
Cross your arms over your chest, or, to make the exercise harder, place your hands by the sides of your head.
The Movement
Making sure that you move only your upper body and that your lower back remains in contact with the ball, slowly raise your torso.
Hold the position for a count of two; then lower yourself back to the starting position.
Tips
When you lower yourself back down, keep the movement controlled.
Do not let your upper body arch backwards or your head flop back over the ball.
To make the movement harder, bring your whole body higher up on to the top of the ball.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Rectus abdominis (mainly upper portion), transverse abdomins.
Starting Position
Lie across the ball, place your feet on the floor and keep your legs bent at the knees. Adjust your position so that the ball is comfortably positioned in the small of your back.
Cross your arms over your chest, or, to make the exercise harder, place your hands by the sides of your head.
The Movement
Making sure that you move only your upper body and that your lower back remains in contact with the ball, slowly raise your torso.
Hold the position for a count of two; then lower yourself back to the starting position.
Tips
When you lower yourself back down, keep the movement controlled.
Do not let your upper body arch backwards or your head flop back over the ball.
To make the movement harder, bring your whole body higher up on to the top of the ball.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Crunch
Target Muscles
Rectus abdominis (mainly upper part).
Starting Position
Lie flat on your back either on the floor or on an abdominal bench with your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching. If you are on the floor, rest your feet on a bench with your knees bent at 90°.
Place your hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your chest if you are a beginner).
Press your lower back to the floor or bench.
The Movement
Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your lower back should remain on the floor.
Hold in this contracted position for a count of two.
Let your body uncurl slowly back to the starting position.
Tips
Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips.
Do not pull your head with your hands keep your elbows out and relaxed.
Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Rectus abdominis (mainly upper part).
Starting Position
Lie flat on your back either on the floor or on an abdominal bench with your knees bent over your hips and your ankles touching. If you are on the floor, rest your feet on a bench with your knees bent at 90°.
Place your hands lightly by the sides of your head (or across your chest if you are a beginner).
Press your lower back to the floor or bench.
The Movement
Use your abdominal strength to raise your head and shoulders from the floor or bench. You should only come up about 10 cm and your lower back should remain on the floor.
Hold in this contracted position for a count of two.
Let your body uncurl slowly back to the starting position.
Tips
Focus on moving your ribs towards your hips.
Do not pull your head with your hands keep your elbows out and relaxed.
Exhale as you contract your abdominals.
Other Exercises for your Ab Workouts
Swiss Ball Crunch.
Reverse Crunch.
Oblique Crunch.
Side Crunch.
Hanging Leg Raise
Triceps Kickback
Target Muscles
Triceps (Especially the outer and medial heads).
Starting Position
Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
Bend forwards from the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor.
Place your other hand and knee on a bench to stabilise yourself - your back should be flat and horizontal.
Bend the working arm to 90° at the elbow and bring it up so that your upper arm is parallel to and close to the side of your body, and the dumbbell is hanging straight down below the elbow.
The Movement
Keeping your elbow stationary, extend your arm backwards until your arm is straight and horizontal.
Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position.
Tips
Extend your arm under control - do not swing the dumbbell back.
Keep your upper arm fixed - only yom forearm moves.
Keep your lower back flat and still.
Use a relatively light weight as the exercise is harder to perform than many people imagine.
Other exercises for your arm Workouts.
Barbell Curl.
Preacher Curl.
Dumbbell Curl.
Incline Dumbbell Curl.
Concentration Curl.
Triceps Push-down.
Bench Dip.
Lying Triceps Extention.
Triceps (Especially the outer and medial heads).
Starting Position
Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
Bend forwards from the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor.
Place your other hand and knee on a bench to stabilise yourself - your back should be flat and horizontal.
Bend the working arm to 90° at the elbow and bring it up so that your upper arm is parallel to and close to the side of your body, and the dumbbell is hanging straight down below the elbow.
The Movement
Keeping your elbow stationary, extend your arm backwards until your arm is straight and horizontal.
Hold for a count of two; then slowly return to the starting position.
Tips
Extend your arm under control - do not swing the dumbbell back.
Keep your upper arm fixed - only yom forearm moves.
Keep your lower back flat and still.
Use a relatively light weight as the exercise is harder to perform than many people imagine.
Other exercises for your arm Workouts.
Barbell Curl.
Preacher Curl.
Dumbbell Curl.
Incline Dumbbell Curl.
Concentration Curl.
Triceps Push-down.
Bench Dip.
Lying Triceps Extention.
Lying Triceps Extention
Target Muscles
Triceps (Especially the outer and medial heads).
Also used Brachioradialis.
Starting Position
Lie on your back on a fIat bench. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on the end of the bench or on a low step.
Hold the bar with your hands slightly less than shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards.
The bar should be positioned directly over your head with your arms fully extended.
The Movement
Keeping your upper arms absolutely stationary, bend your elbows as you lower the bar until it just touches your forehead.
Hold for a count of two; then straighten your arms back to the starting position.
Tips
For maximum muscle development, straighten your arms fully at the end of the movement.
Keep your elbows perfectly still - do not allow them to move out to the sides, or backwards with the bar.
Keep your lower back firmly down on the bench.
Lower the bar as far back as you safely can
to achieve the greatest ROM.
Variations
EZ-bar
The movement may be performed with either a straight bar or an EZ-bar. The EZ-bar places your forearms midway between supination and neutral, which you may find more comfortable.
Lying dumbbell triceps extension
Use a dumbbell instead of a barbell, placing your hands against the inner side of one of the end plates. You may also perform this exercise holding a pair of dumbbells, palms facing each other.
Lying single-arm triceps extension
Perform the movement using a dumbbell (as above), one arm at a time, palms facing inwards. You may use your free hand to steady your working elbow.
Other exercises for your arm Workouts.
Barbell Curl.
Preacher Curl.
Dumbbell Curl.
Incline Dumbbell Curl.
Concentration Curl.
Triceps Push-down.
Bench Dip.
Triceps Kickback.
Triceps (Especially the outer and medial heads).
Also used Brachioradialis.
Starting Position
Lie on your back on a fIat bench. If you have an excessive arch in your back, place your feet on the end of the bench or on a low step.
Hold the bar with your hands slightly less than shoulder-width apart, palms facing forwards.
The bar should be positioned directly over your head with your arms fully extended.
The Movement
Keeping your upper arms absolutely stationary, bend your elbows as you lower the bar until it just touches your forehead.
Hold for a count of two; then straighten your arms back to the starting position.
Tips
For maximum muscle development, straighten your arms fully at the end of the movement.
Keep your elbows perfectly still - do not allow them to move out to the sides, or backwards with the bar.
Keep your lower back firmly down on the bench.
Lower the bar as far back as you safely can
to achieve the greatest ROM.
Variations
EZ-bar
The movement may be performed with either a straight bar or an EZ-bar. The EZ-bar places your forearms midway between supination and neutral, which you may find more comfortable.
Lying dumbbell triceps extension
Use a dumbbell instead of a barbell, placing your hands against the inner side of one of the end plates. You may also perform this exercise holding a pair of dumbbells, palms facing each other.
Lying single-arm triceps extension
Perform the movement using a dumbbell (as above), one arm at a time, palms facing inwards. You may use your free hand to steady your working elbow.
Other exercises for your arm Workouts.
Barbell Curl.
Preacher Curl.
Dumbbell Curl.
Incline Dumbbell Curl.
Concentration Curl.
Triceps Push-down.
Bench Dip.
Triceps Kickback.
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