Abdominal exercises are one of the easiest types to do at home or anywhere because you don't need equipment. However, ab exercises can be made more challenging by using machines and other fitness equipment that you will find at a gym. Don't be shy if you don't know where something is. Ask for help instead of skipping an exercise.
Ab Crunch Machine
The ab machine is a staple in gyms. There may be a few variations but most ab machines will allow you to sit upright and place your chest against a pad to do the exercise. You will sit at the machine with your feet and on the floor and your hands on the hand grips in front of the chest pad. All you have to do is crunch forward against the pad to bring your chest toward your legs, and then sit back up. Abdominal exercises should all be performed with controlled movements at a slow to moderate tempo.
Cable Crunch
The cable crunch uses a cable machine to work your abs. The exercise can be done kneeling, but the standing cable crunch may be more desirable because you will not have to put your knees on the hard floor. You will stand facing a cable machine with your feet hip-width apart and hold an end of a rope handle in each hand next to your ears. The elbows are bent and your palms are facing your head. The rope must be attached to the high pulley of the machine. You will stand up straight and then bend forward at the waist to pull your upper body and the weight down as far as is comfortable. Standing back up straight completes the exercise.
Side Crunch on an Exercise Ball
Most gyms will have a selection of inflated exercise balls, which may also be called Swiss or stability balls. You can use one of these to do side crunches on so that you can work the side muscles of your abdomen. These are called your obliques. The side crunch is done lying sideways on an exercise ball with your lower knee on the floor and your hip on the ball. If you were lying on your right side, then your right would be knee on the ground and your left leg would be straight with your foot touching the floor. The right hip would rest on the ball with your right arm holding the side of the ball. The left arm can be bent with the palm placed behind the head. From this position, you will bend your upper body toward the left to bring your left shoulder closer to your left hip. The same is done on the other side.
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