ALTERNATE HEEL TOUCH

1. Lie on the floor with the knees bent and the feet on the floor around 18-24 inches apart. Your arms should be extended by your side. This will be your starting position.
2. Crunch over your torso forward and up about 3-4 inches to the right side and touch your right heel as you hold the contraction for a second. Exhale while performing this movement.
3. Now go back slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
4. Now crunch over your torso forward and up around 3-4 inches to the left side and touch your left heel as you hold the contraction for a second. Exhale while performing this movement and then go back to the starting position as you inhale. Now that both heels have been touched, that is considered 1 repetition.
5. Continue alternating sides in this manner until all prescribed repetitions are done.

Variations: None

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AIR BIKE

 

 

Exercise Instructions

1. Lie flat on your back on a mat. Your hands should be clasped behind your head so that your elbows stick out on either side.
2. Your back and neck should be in alignment and your back should be flat against the mat. If you feel air space between your back and the mat, consciously relax your back muscles and imagine yourself melting into the mat.
3. Raise both of your knees to form a right angle with your upper body. Your knees should be bent at a right angle, and your upper leg should form a right angle with your upper body. Make sure that your back is still flat against the mat.
4. Use a steady motion that does not cause your body to rock as you exercise to make sure that the focus stays on your abs and that the crunches do not become a meaningless motion carried out by momentum.
5. Bring your right elbow to your left knee in a crunching motion. This will cause your body to twist and your abdominal muscles to tighten.
6. Move your head and neck as little as possible to make your abs work harder.

​Air Bike Tips:

1. Slowing the exercise down will cause your abs to work harder. 

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DUMBBELL SIDE BEND

Exercise Instructions

1. This exercise works the obliques. Grasp a set of dumbbells. Stand straight up with one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in.
2. Keep your feet firmly on the floor with a shoulder width stance.
3. Keeping your back straight and your eyes facing forwards, bend down to the right as far as you can, then back up again.
4. Without pausing at the top, bend down to the left.
5. Repeat for desired reps.

​Side Bend Tips:

1. Always keep your back straight, eyes facing forwards, and bend at the torso only.
2. Concentrate on the stretch and contraction of the oblique muscles (down the side of your body).
3. Keep the dumbbells close to your body.
4. This exercise can also be performed while seated on the end of a bench. 

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CROSS BODY CRUNCH

Step By Step

Step 1: Lie down on your back on the floor. Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Clasp your fingers behind your head to offer support for your head and neck. Make sure your elbows are out to the side and out of your peripheral vision.

Step 2: Exhale and crunch up as you twist your torso to touch your opposite elbow to your opposite knee, thus your left elbow reaches for your right knee.  

Step 3: Inhale and slowly lower back to the floor. 

Step 4: Switch to the other side and repeat. Don’t completely relax your abs between repetitions, keep them taut. Do 15 to 20 repetitions to each side or a total of 30 to 40 crunches.  

To make this move harder add weight such as holding onto a medicine ball as you crunch. To easy up, keep one shoulder on the ground as you twist up (left shoulder on floor if right elbow it reaching for right knee and vice versa).

Benefits

Targets your abdominals specifically the obliques and upper rectus abdominis muscles. A great exercise to help improve your golf game.

Superset with

Reverse Crunch, to exercise and strengthen your lower rectus abdominis muscle.

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OBLIQUE CRUNCHES

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head.
2. Keeping your lower back pressed onto the floor, lift your shoulders off the floor.
3. Meanwhile, curl your upper body diagonally toward one knee.
4. Contract your abs.
5. Slowly return to your original position.
6. Repeat on the other side.

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SEATED BARBELL TWIST

Exercise Instructions

1. The seated barbell twist exercise focuses on your obliques. Grab a light barbell and rest it on the muscle on the back of your neck. Do not rest the weight on your neck!
2. Sit down on a flat bench with your feet at a wider than shoulder width stance, firmly on the floor.
3. Keep your back firm and straight. Slowly twist your torso to the right and then to the left.
4. Twist as far as possible. Do not move your head with the twist, but keep facing forward.

​Exercise Tips:

1. Keep your head facing forward. Don't look from side to side. 
2. Keep your abs tight throughout the whole set.
3. Make sure you have enough room if you're using an Olympic bar!

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SCISSOR KICK

1. To begin, lie down with your back pressed against the floor or on an exercise mat (optional). Your arms should be fully extended to the sides with your palms facing down. Note: The arms should be stationary the entire time.
2. With a slight bend at the knees, lift your legs up so that your heels are about 6 inches off the ground. This is the starting position.
3. Now lift your left leg up to about a 45 degree angle while your right leg is lowered until the heel is about 2-3 inches from the ground.
4. Switch movements by raising your right leg up and lowering your left leg. Remember to breathe while performing this exercise.
5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

Variation: As you get more advanced, you can wear ankle weights for resistance.

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