1. Dumbbell Bends
Hold a dumbbell in your right hand heavy enough to allow for no less than 15 reps. Stand upright with your free arm at your side or bent behind your head. Slowly bend to the right as far as you can go. As you bend, imagine that a rod is running through your torso about three inches above your belly-button. This is the axis on which you want to bend. Now, slowly straighten, squeezing your obliques on the same axis to raise the weight, and bring yourself to the upright starting position. Repeat the same procedure on your left side.
2. Jack It Up
Lie flat on your back with your arms extended straight behind your head. Maintaining this arms-extended position, curl your torso up, and pull your knees in toward your chest until your elbows are in line with, and just outside of your right knee. Return to the starting position and repeat, bringing your arms to the other knee, and continue in an alternating fashion.
3. The Swinging Gate
Sit up straight on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat. Extend your arms out in front of you at shoulder level and flex your abs. Lower your body an inch or so toward the floor by rounding your torso and tightening your abs further. Pause, and then lower an inch or so more. Continue lowering until your head is as close to the floor as is comfortable. Gently return to the sitting position. The key is to not allow your feet to come up off the floor at any point.
4. Oblige the Obliques
Plank Twists: Lie on your side on the floor. Prop your upper body on the elbow of your floor-side arm so that your body forms an incline. Your feet should be together, your torso straight and your hips pushed forward. Focus on keeping your body in a straight line (this, alone, should become difficult), and with your ceiling-side hand behind your head and your elbow pointed up, slowly twist at the waist until your torso makes a 90-degree turn and your elbow touches the floor.
5. Get on the Ball
Swiss Ball Leg-Ins: Supporting your upper body by putting your hands on the floor in a push-up position and straightening your arms, place your shins on the top-center of a Swiss ball. Your body should form a straight line parallel to the floor Slowly contract your abs, pulling your glutes straight up toward the ceiling and allowing your legs to roll along the Swiss ball down to your toes. At the top of this movement, your body should resemble an inverted "V." Slowly return to the starting position, keeping your abs contracted throughout.
Member Comments