Posts Tagged ‘ab exercises’
Long Arm Crunch For Abs
This move, the long arm crunch, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right follow these tips…
1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.
What Ab Exercises Should You Do and How Intense Should Your Ab Exercises Be
It has been quite a common occurrence to encounter people who have invested lots of their precious time in abs training and yet, have not seen any visible improvement in their abs area at all. This phenomenon is due to the fact that they have either choose the wrong ab exercises for their workout or have worked too much on the same workout exercises.
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Captain’s Chair Leg Raise For Abs
The captain’s chair leg raise is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques. You can do a variety of exercises on the captain’s chair, which is a rack with padded arms that allows your legs to hang free and can be found in most health clubs and gyms. The key to keeping this move safe and effective is, first, to avoid swinging the legs or using momentum to bring the legs up. Second, keeping the knees bent will help you focus more on the abdominals and less on the hip flexors. To do it right:
1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don’t arch the back or swing the legs up.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
Basic Abdominal Crunch
The basic crunch exercise for the abs targets the rectus abdominis muscle. Although it seems simple, many people don’t perform the basic ab crunch properly. Using good form when doing an crunch makes this a much more effective abdominal exercise.
How to Do the Basic Abdominal Crunch
* Lie on your back, bend your knees, placing your hands on the sides of your head.
* Contract your abs and flatten your lower back against the floor.
* Slowly lift your shoulder blades one or two inches off the floor.
* Exhale as you lift, keep your neck straight and chin up.
* Hold for a few seconds (don’t hold your breath).
* Slowly lower while keeping your abs contracted.
* Repeat up to 20 reps this perfect form for each rep.
* To make it more difficult, use an exercise ball.









