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"Effective Abdominal Exercises..." from the folks at Super Future Fitness

Monday, Jan 23, 2006

A study was conducted by Peter Francis Ph.D. of San Diego State University to determine the most effective abdominal exercises. The study which was sponsored by sponsored by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) resulted in the following ranking:

1. The Bicycle
2. The Captain's Chair
3. Exercise ball crunch
4. Vertical Leg Crunch
5. Torso Track
6. Long Arm Crunch
7. Reverse Crunch
8. Crunch with Heel Push
9. Ab Roller
10. Prone Iso Abs (The Hover)
1. The bicycle
• Lie on your back placing your hands gently behind your head for support or tips of fingers on your ears.
• Lift your legs so that your legs form a 90 degree angle.
• Move your legs in a bicycle motion.
• Bring your right elbow to your left knee.
• Bring your left elbow to your right knee.
 2. The Captain's Chair
• Keeping your back against the cushioned back of the "captain's chair" in the gym and your arms on the side rests, bring your knees to your chest as high as you can and lower slowly. • Repeat.
• You can also bring your legs straight up past an imaginary line parallel to the floor&lower.
• Remember to pull the navel toward the spine and breathe.
  
3. Exercise Ball Crunch
• Lie on your back on the ball.
• The neck is supported by the ball. Knees are bent and feet are flat on the floor.
• Put one hand on each ear and pulling the navel toward the spine crunch up toward the ceiling so that you feel the tension in your midsection.
4. Vertical Leg Crunch
• Lie on the floor.
• Extend legs perpendicular to the floor slightly bent and crossed at ankles.
• Hands GENTLY holding neck or fingertips touching each ear, crunch up toward knees.
• Pull the navel toward the spine and exhale when coming up.
• Slowly lower the upper back inhale and repeat.
  
5. The Torso Track
• This is an expensive piece of equipment that basically does little more than the ab roller at Super Future Fitness which is a handle through a wheel. This should not be used by beginners or anyone with lower back issues.
• Ab Roller: While kneeling with the upper body perpendicular to the floor, handles are grasped and the wheel is rolled outward.
• The upper body is slowly lowered parallel to the floor.
• Using the abdominals slowly roll the wheel back so the upper body is perpendicular to the floor.
• A barbell can be used instead of the ab roller which is even more risky for anyone with weak abdominals or lower back issues, i.e., this is an advanced exercise.
 6. Long Arm Crunch (from Acefitness.org) - emphasizes upper abdominals
• Lie face up (supine) on a mat with your arms extended above your head and hands clasped together.
• Your upper arms should rest next to your ears.
• Contract abdominals by pressing stomach toward the floor. Press heels into the floor.
• Keeping your arms alongside your ears slowly begin a basic crunch. Exhale as you lift and pause at the top and contract your abs even more.
• Inhale as you lower to starting position.
• This is an advanced form of the basic crunch.
• Be sure to keep an apple's distance between your chin & chest to avoid strain on neck.
• If you cannot do this crunch with proper form, begin with the traditional crunch and progress to the long arm crunch when you are ready.
  

7. Reverse Crunch
• Begin by lying flat on back with legs pointing straight up in the air and arms gripping a stable object for support.
• Draw abdominals in and raise your legs straight up in the air, using abs not arms, so that hips are off the ground.
• Hold and slowly lower yourself back to the ground.

- A variation on the floor: (ehow.com)
• Start by lying on your back with your legs perpendicular to the ground, knees very slightly bent and feet in the air, crossed at the ankles.
• Keep your arms on the floor next to you or place them comfortably behind your head.
• Rest your head on the floor, relax your shoulders and keep your back straight.
• Slowly lift your hips 1 to 2 inches off the floor, which will raise your legs and feet a few inches higher.
• Avoid rolling your hips backward and thus bending your back.
• Hold this position for just a moment.
• Squeeze your abdominal muscles and keep your head and shoulders flat against the floor.
• Slowly lower your hips back to the floor.

8. Crunch with heel push
• Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.
• Place hands gently behind the head and pulling the navel toward the spine lift the shoulders off the floor.
• At the same time, push the heels towards ceiling so the body creates a "u" shape.
• Lower and repeat.

9. The Ab Roller (described above in #5)
• Ab Roller: While kneeling with the upper body perpendicular to the floor, handles are grasped and the wheel is rolled outward.
• The upper body is slowly lowered parallel to the floor.
• Using the abdominals slowly roll the wheel back so the upper body is perpendicular to the floor.
10. Prone ISO abs (The Hover)
• Assume a prone position with elbows bent and closed fists shoulder width apart. Tips of toes are on the ground forming a plank with the upper body.
• Draw navel toward your spine.
• Tighten buttocks and lift the body onto forearms.
• While pulling the navel toward the spine, hold the plank position for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times.
• Your spine should be in a neutral position your glutes should remain tight and still. The head should be in alignment with the spine with the chin tucked in.

Abdominal exercises only need to be performed 2-3 days a week with rest days in between.

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