Crunches are only one abdominal exercise out of many effective ways to strengthen the abs. A study led by Peter Francis, Ph.D., at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University, discovered that the bicycle crunch is the most effective exercise for the abs, but the captain's chair ranked number two. Although most of the best exercises involved in the study were versions of the crunch, using the abdominal machines Torso Track and the Ab Roller were shown to be as effective as crunches. Use of these machines will get you rock-hard abs without doing a single crunch.
Captain's Chair
Step 1
Step onto the side rails of the Captain's Chair. Place your back against the back pad and your arms on the arm rests. Grab the handles with your palms facing inwards. Lift your legs off of the side rails and lower them straight toward the floor. The machine will be high enough that your feet will not be able to touch the ground.
Step 2
Press your legs together. Bend your knees and raise them up as high as you can go without allowing your back to come off of the back pad.
Step 3
Lower your knees and hang your legs straight toward the floor again.
Torso Track
Step 1
Kneel on the floor about 6 inches from the end of the Torso Track. Lean forward and grab the handles on each side of the track with your arms straight. Straighten your spine and pull your abs in to protect your back.
Step 2
Slide the Torso Track handles forward along the length of the machine. Slide your torso forward as well but keep your back flat, your arms straight, and your knees on the floor. Go as far forward as you can until your torso is parallel to the machine.
Step 3
Slide backward to your starting position.
Ab Roller
Step 1
Lie on your back with your neck and shoulders against the Ab Roller's pad. Place your hands on top of the bar above your head. Turn your palms forward and straighten your arms. Bend your knees and put your feet on the floor hip-width apart.
Step 2
Roll forward and raise your torso off of the floor using your abs, not by pushing with your arms. Go as far as the Ab Roller will let you.
Step 3
Roll back to the floor.
Tips and Warnings
- Do up to four sets of 10 to 30 reps of these exercises. Rock hard abs are fantastic, but if you want people to be able to see them you should do some cardio. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of cardio on most days of the week for a total of 150 minutes per week. Cardio activities include walking, swimming, hiking and water aerobics.
Things You'll Need
- Captain's Chair
- Torso Track
- Ab Roller
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