Seated Ab Crunch Machine
Take position in the ab crunch machine with your feet under the ankle rolls and your palms gripping the handles above your shoulders. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you crunch down from the waist.
At the maximum contraction point, squeeze the abs hard before slowly reversing the torso back to the starting position, inhaling as you do. Do not let the weight stack come to rest at the starting position until the set is complete.
Bench V-Sit Crunches
Take position at the end of a flat bench with your legs extended horizontally and your arms to the side, hands grabbing the sides of the bench to support your balance. Your core is tight and your torso is angled back at about 45 degrees. This creates a bend in your elbows. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you bring your legs up toward your body at the same time as you crunch from the abs.
At the maximum point of contraction, your lower torso and upper legs will be in a V-position. Squeeze the abs hard before slowly reversing the movement back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Crunches
Take position with your back flat on the ground, hands behind your head and feet flat on the floor such that the apex created by your knee forms a right angle. If it feels more comfortable, you may instead cross the arms on the chest. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you lift your shoulders off the floor to the maximum height you can squeeze to. As you lift your body, your lower back should remain in contact with the floor. This contact remaining is what limits the height your shoulders achieve.
At the top of the movement, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Reverse Crunch
Take position with your back flat on the ground and your arms extended outward at the sides of the body. Keep your feet together and pull your upper legs up so they are perpendicular to your body. Then create a 90 degree angle at the knee so that your lower legs are parallel to the floor. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and inhaling as you lift your hips off the floor and roll your pelvis backward. As you lift your body, your upper back and shoulders should remain in contact with the floor.
At the top of the movement, your knees approach your chest and you squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, exhaling as you do.
Sit Up
Take position with your back flat on the ground and feet flat on the floor such that the apex created by your knee forms a right angle. It helps to position your feet under a stationary rail or object to keep them locked flat and so you isolate the abs. Hands may be positioned behind your head, on your forehead or if it feels more comfortable, across the chest. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you elevate your torso off the floor from the waist. Your torso moves through the arc from the starting position until it is at 90 degrees to the ground.
At the top of the movement, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Decline Reverse Crunch
Position yourself lying face up on a decline bench (angled at 15-30 degrees) with your head near the knee rolls. Reach both arms backward over your shoulders to take hold of the bench with both hands. This prevents you from sliding down. Once locked into this position, your torso will lay along the bench, you will have a slight bend at the knee and your lower legs will hang off the end. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and bringing your legs toward your torso by rolling your pelvis upward. Exhale through the movement.
At the top of the contracted position, your hips will be off the bench and you should feel that real squeeze across your abs. Reverse the movement by lowering you torso and hips back to the bench and the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Oblique Crunches
Take position lying sideways on the ground on your right hand side. Your legs are stacked on top of each other and have a relaxed bend at the knee. Your left hand is positioned behind your head and your right hand lies across your body. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and obliques (side abs) and breathe out as you crunch your body across.
At the top of the movement, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Alternate sides upon completion of the set.
Raised Legs Cross Body Crunches
Take position with your back flat on the ground and hands positioned behind your head. Do not interlock the fingers. Elevate your legs to almost a 45 degree angle to the ground and keep a slight bend at the knee. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you elevate your torso off the floor and bring your right elbow across toward the left side of the body. Remember to squeeze the abs to lift you, not just twist the elbow forward.
At the point of maximum range of motion, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do. Perform the same movement on the opposite side and then continue to alternate.
Decline Sit Ups
Sit with your buttocks at the top angle of the decline bench (angled at 15-30 degrees) and position your knees over the knee rolls and feet under the ankle rolls. Slowly lower your torso backwards onto the bench. Put your hands either at your ears, behind your head or across your body. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you elevate your torso off the bench from the waist. Your torso moves through the arc from the starting position until it is at 90 degrees to the ground.
At the top of the movement, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Decline Crunch
Depending on the bench setup, either sit with your buttocks at the top angle of the decline bench (angled at 15-30 degrees) and position your feet under the ankle rolls OR if no ankle rolls exist, simply slot your feet under the knee rolls with your torso positioned lower down on the bench.
Slowly lower your torso backwards onto the bench until it is flat. Position your hands behind your head or if it feels more comfortable, you may instead cross the arms on the chest. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and breathing out as you lift your shoulders off the bench to the maximum height you can squeeze to. As you lift your body, your lower back should remain in contact with the bench. This contact remaining is what limits the height your shoulders achieve.
At the top of the movement, squeeze the abs hard before slowly lowering the body back to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Decline Crunch With Twist
Sit with your buttocks at the top angle of the decline bench (angled at 15-30 degrees) and position your feet under the ankle rolls. Slowly lower your torso backwards onto the bench. Put your hands either at your ears or behind your head. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and crunching across to the left side of your body. Touch your left elbow on your right knee as you squeeze the abs and exhale.
When you feel that real squeeze across your abs, reverse the movement by straightening your torso and lowering it back to to the starting position, inhaling as you do.
Perform the same movement on the opposite side and then continue to alternate.
Lying Ankle Taps
Take position with your back flat and feet flat on the floor such that the apex created by your knee forms a right angle. Extend your arms outward at the sides of the body. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by contracting your abdominals and crunching across to the left side of your body. Touch your left hand on your left ankle as you squeeze the abs.
At this point, reverse the movement back to the starting position. Perform the same movement on the opposite side and then continue to alternate.
Ab Wheel Roll Outs
Take position with your knees on the ground, feet pointed backward and arms extended down with your hands on either side of the wheel handles. This is the starting position.
Commence the movement by rolling the wheel forward, stretching your body out horizontally and inhaling. Unlike a push up where the arms are down under your body, here the arms go right out in front of you which brings the torso toward the floor.
Just before the torso touches the floor in the most extended position, contract your abdominals and slowly reverse the movement back to the starting position as you exhale.
