1. The Bicycle Exercise: targets the famous six pack muscles and the obliques. To begin, get into a supine position with hands at the back of your head. Bring knees to the chest while lifting shoulders off the floor. Slowly bring your right elbow towards your left knee as you straighten your right leg. Switch sides and continue in a pedaling motion. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 reps.
2. The Captain’s Chair Leg Raise: This is a great exercise but it requires a captain’s chair, or a rack with padded arms allowing for the legs to hang free that is commonly found in gyms or health clubs. To do this exercise, stand on the chair and grip hand holds. Press back against the pad then raise knees to the chest to contract the abs then lower them back down. Do 3 sets with 12 to 16 repetitions.
3. Exercise Ball Crunch: You will need an exercise ball. While the abdomen does more exerting it will still need the entire body to stabilize it through the routine. To do this exercise, lie on the ball with your lower back fully supported. Place hands behind the head. To lift the torso off the ball, contract the abs to pull the bottom of the rib cage towards the hips. Keep ball stable as you curl up, then lower back down to stretch the abs. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 reps.
4. Long Arm Crunch: This is similar to traditional floor crunch where the arms are held straight behind you, adding a lever to the move and making for a challenging exercise. T Lie on the floor or a mat then extend arms straight behind, keeping them clasped and next to the ears. Slowly contract abs and lift shoulders off the floor carefully to keep the arms straight. Do 1 to 3 sets with 12 to 16 reps.