Slideshow: Advance Your Abdominals

1. Decline Lower-Abs Blaster

Target Muscles: rectus abdominis

Set Up: Lie faceup on a decline bench with your head at the top. Grab the bench behind your head and point your legs towards the ceiling [A].

Action: Contract your abs as you raise your hips to bring your feet closer to the ceiling [B]. Pause, then slowly return to the start. Repeat for three sets of 15 to 20 reps.

Tip: Don’t swing or rock your hips as you lift them.

2. Abdominal Roller

Target Muscles: obliques

Set Up: Lie faceup on the floor, with your calves resting on a stability ball. Extend your arms at your sides and press through your palms to lift your hips from the ground [A].

Action: Keep your upper back in contact with the floor as you slowly twist your hips to one side [B]. Pause, and then roll back to the center and towards the opposite side. Do three sets of 10 reps on each side.

Tip: Watch that your back does not sag throughout your set.

3. Heel-to-Toe Crunch

Target Muscles: rectus abdominis

Set Up: Lie on your back with your legs extended; stack your feet and extend one arm towards the ceiling as shown.

Action: Lift your shoulders from the floor slowly; keep your eyes on the ceiling as you move. Pause, then slowly return to the start. Repeat for three sets of 15 reps; when you are through, reverse the position of your feet and repeat with your opposite arm extended.

Tip: This is a small motion; don’t allow your upper back to lift higher than necessary.

4. Side Plank with Raise, Part 1

Target Muscles: obliques, deltoids

Set Up: Lie on your side with your legs stacked and your lower forearm resting on the floor. Hold a light dumbbell in your other hand [A].

Action: Lift your hips from the floor to bring your body into a straight line [B]. 

SEE NEXT SLIDE FOR [C] MOVE.

5. Side Plank with Raise, Part 2

Action: Next, lift the weight towards the ceiling until your arm is straight [C]. Slowly lower the weight, then your hips, to return to the start. Repeat for 10 reps, then flip over and do the same with your other arm. Aim for three sets on each side.

Tip: Try this exercise without the dumbbell first before attempting it with a weight. 

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