The exercises that work best for building the abdominals remain the same regardless of your age. However, as you age, you become more susceptible to both chronic and acute back injury. As such, if you're over 60, safety must be a primary concern. A study published in the June 1997 issue of "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise" found the following exercises to be among the safest for the back, while an unrelated study published in the "American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal" found them to be among the most effective for muscular development. Always check with your doctor before starting any exercise regimen.
Feet Anchored Crunch
The feet anchored crunch is a variation on the standard abdominal crunch. Lie in a supine position on a padded exercise mat so your entire torso and buttocks are contained within the mat. Bend your hips at approximately 45 degrees and your knees at approximately 90 degrees, and place your feet flat on the mat. Have a training partner kneel in front of your feet and hold them to the ground. Using your abdominals, pull your upper torso off the mat. Once your abdominals are fully contracted, pause, then allow your torso to return to the starting position in a slow and controlled inverse motion.
Bicycle Crunch
Lie in a supine position on the padded exercise mat. Raise your legs off the mat by bending slightly at the hips and knees. Keeping your back and buttocks flat on the mat, clasp your hands behind your head so that your elbows are pointed forward and outward on either side. Using your abdominals, pull your right knee towards your torso while simultaneously pulling your left elbow towards your right knee. Upon making contact between your elbow and knee, pause, then allow your elbow and knee to return to their respective starting positions in a slow and controlled inverse motion. Repeat using the opposite elbow and knee.
Hanging Straight Leg Raise
Using a Roman chair, a pull up bar or any other hanging surface, suspend yourself so that your feet are hanging well above the floor. Moving your torso as little as possible, and keeping your legs completely straight, raise both legs forwards and upwards in an arcing motion. Once your legs form a right angle with your torso, or once you've raised your legs as high as you can, pause, then allow your legs to return to the starting position in a slow and controlled inverse motion.
References
- "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise"; Low Back Loads Over a Variety of Abdominal Exercises: Searching for the Safest Abdominal Challenge; C.T. Axler, S.M. McGill; Jun. 1997
- "American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal"; An Electromyographic Approach to the Evaluation of Abdominal Exercises; Peter R. Francis, Ph.D. et al.; Jul./Aug. 2007
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