Abdominal stretching boards, also called slant boards, help you perform a variety of abdomen-strengthening exercises. Many stretching boards are designed to be declined by degrees to provide a platform ideal for people of all fitness abilities. Typically, the further the board is declined, the more difficult the exercise becomes. If you are new to stretching boards, start with a low-degree angle and work your way up to deeper declines.
Decline Sit-up
Decline sit-ups target your rectus abdominus, which is the long muscle in your abdomen that runs up and down your torso. For this exercise, lie on your back on the abdominal stretching board with it declined slightly if you are a beginner, or declined 45 to 60 degrees to provide more resistance. Like many exercises performed on this equipment, you may hold a dumbbell or a weight plate to your chest while implementing the decline sit-up for further resistance.
Decline Twist Crunches
Twist crunches target your side abdominal muscles, or obliques. This exercise can be performed several ways. You may crunch and point your chest toward your right knee, lie back to the original position, then point your chest to your left knee. However, you can perform a more difficult variation by twisting your torso left and right before returning to the lying position. Like decline sit-ups, hold a weight to your chest for a more beneficial abdominal-strengthening exercise.
Incline Reverse Sit-ups
For this exercise, lie on your back on the declined portion of the board with the back of your head resting on the highest end. Your feet should be resting on the floor helping you support your upper body before you begin. Grab the sides of the board beside your head and lift your legs into the air, then lower your legs without allowing your feet to touch the floor. Keep your abdomen tightened throughout this exercise.
Sets and Repetitions
If you are a beginner to strength training for your abdomen, start by performing three sets of 10 repetitions of each exercise twice a week. Seasoned strength trainers who want to develop larger abdominal muscles should perform three to five sets of six to eight repetitions with plate weight or a dumbbell. For toning, perform two to four sets of 10 to 15 repetitions.
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