Everyone wants that toned, flat stomach so popular in today's culture. To get that attractive "V" shape, it is important to regularly exercise your abdominal muscles, the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and internal and external obliques. These muscles help protect your internal organs and provide a full range of motion for your upper body. Working out on the sit-up bench gives you the opportunity to use your body weight to provide more resistance for your ab muscles.
Frog Kicks
Bodybuilder Lee Hayward says on his website that this exercise helps strengthen your lower and frontal abdominal muscles. Perform this exercise while seated on the end of a flat sit-up bench with both legs on the floor. Lean back and support your upper body with both hands while raising both legs with your feet together until your feet are level with your hips. Use your abdominal muscles to raise your legs. Bend both knees until your feet are about 6 inches from your pelvis. Straighten your knees until your legs are out straight with both feet together. Hayward cautions that you shouldn't let your feet touch the floor while performing this exercise.
Decline Reverse Crunches
This exercise is performed on an inclined sit-up bench. It is similar to the frog kick exercise listed above but is performed while lying on the bench so that your upper body is elevated higher than your lower body. Hold onto the feet support with both hands and lift both legs off the floor simultaneously and hold them straight out in front of you. Bend both knees until your knees are close to your chest with both feet together. At the top of the contraction, lift your hips off the bench. Hold this contraction for a moment before returning to the starting position. The higher the angle of incline on the bench the more difficult this exercise will be, Hayward says.
Incline Sit-Ups
Raise the end of the sit-up bench to the desired level. Place both feet under the support pads and lace your fingers behind your head. Keep your neck straight and eyes forward throughout this exercise to avoid neck and back pain. The website Ab, Core and Stomach Exercises suggests you exhale while curling your upper body toward your knees in the sit-up position. Hold this contraction for a moment and lower your upper body until you return to the starting position. The website recommends repeating this exercise eight to 50 times.
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