Your lower abdominal muscles do more than just help to provide a thin waist. The muscles of the abdomen--the rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus and internal and external oblique muscles--help stabilize your spine and protect your internal organs. They also help us move our upper bodies through a full range of motion.
Reverse Crunch
This exercise is performed while lying on your back with your feet elevated off the floor and knees tightly bent. Keep both hands at your sides and your head and shoulders on the floor. While keeping your knees bent bring your knees toward your chest and lift your hips off the floor while trying to touch your knees to your forehead. Trainers at the website All About Abs caution you to keep your head on the floor and use your abdominal muscles to perform this crunch. Hold the position for a few seconds and slowly lower your lower body to the starting position. Keep your feet and knees off the floor for the duration of this exercise, according to All About Abs. The trainers at the website recommend using your hands to help stabilize your body throughout this exercise.
Lying Leg Scissors
Lying leg scissors are performed from a lying-down position on your back with your hands by your sides, according to the website Best Abdominal Exercises. Lift your legs off the ground about six inches and keep your palms flat on the floor. Be sure to keep your legs as straight as possible since they are providing the resistance for your lower abdominals during this exercise. With your legs in the air and your feet close together, open your legs to form a "V" shape and then close them while crossing one leg over the other. Keep your legs in the air throughout this exercise and alternate crossing first the right leg over the left and vice versa. Best Abdominal Exercises recommends performing this exercise until exhaustion.
Hip Lift
Lie on the floor on your back with both arms by your hips and your palms flat on the floor. Keep both legs straight with your feet together and raise them until the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling. Use your lower ab muscles to lift your hips and pelvis off the floor, being sure to use your ab muscles and not your hands to perform this motion. Lift your pelvis until your feet are over your head with your legs straight. Lower your hips back toward the floor using a slow and controlled motion and repeat, advises Best Abs Exercises.com.
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