TRANSLATE

Friday, August 15, 2008

Double your crunch


Strong abdominal muscles help support your body's core or trunk, from which all movement originates. So, if you're strong there, you'll able to transfer this potential to both your upper (shoulder and arms) and lower (hips and legs) extremities. Most importantly, if you have strong abdominals, you'll reduce your risk of back injuries, most of which occur everyday activities. Think of the abdominal muscles as the glue that holds your upper and lower body together.

The double crunch -so-called because you're lifting your upper body at the same time as you hold your hips in an unsupported position - is an exercise you can do to gain and maintain a firm and powerful core. Here's how

1. Lie on your back with your knee and feet flat on the floor. Tilt your pelvis until lower back is close to the floor, lift one foot at a time until both knees are bent at 90 degree and positioned directly above your hips. You should feel your abs holding your hips stable in this position.

2. Lift your head and shoulders and bring your rib cage towards your hips. Visualize pulling your navel in towards your spine as you exhale.

3. Breath in as you lower your head and shoulders and release the abdominals below the navel. Perform one set of ten to 15 repetition slowly, emphasising the correct breath in pattern. Let your breathing set the pace. You can do work on your abs daily because they make up a fairly large muscle group and are a tough area to train


No comments: