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Check this out--a lady friend of mine wrote this on another web site;
The topic is ab exercises.
Three that I currently do, besides the floor kind:
1) Exhale. While sitting or standing, tighten your abdominal muscles and exhale *all* the air out of your lungs. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then inhale and relax the muscle, keeping them firm and in still. Repeat. This works great in the car or while waiting in line. . . No one even knows you are doing it. This works the transverse abdominals, and helps to hold your organs in as well as make your tummy flatter.
2) Front Oblique Crunch. Standing up with your arms bent and fingers loosely behind your ears - lift the left knee and cross over the right elbow to meet it (or as far as you can go). Return to upright and do the other side - right knee, left elbow. The key is to concentrate on keeping the abs tight and drawn back to your spine (think of it that way). Exhale as you crunch down and inhale as you straighten up.
3) Side Crunch. Standing up - place your left hand on your left hip; put your right arm straight up alongside your ear; rotate your right leg out just slightly. Bend knee up (should be pointing out to side) and bend elbow down to meet knee (or as far as you can go). Crunch down slightly using your side/oblique muscles. Concentrate again on keeping abs tight and in; exhale as you crunch and inhale as you return to starting pose.
How many you do of these is up to you. Start with one set of 10, and then increase as you can. When finished, be sure to stretch your sides and your abs. Also - Pilates has great exercises for abs, without really doing any traditional crunches/sit-ups.
Jo
The topic is ab exercises.
Three that I currently do, besides the floor kind:
1) Exhale. While sitting or standing, tighten your abdominal muscles and exhale *all* the air out of your lungs. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then inhale and relax the muscle, keeping them firm and in still. Repeat. This works great in the car or while waiting in line. . . No one even knows you are doing it. This works the transverse abdominals, and helps to hold your organs in as well as make your tummy flatter.
2) Front Oblique Crunch. Standing up with your arms bent and fingers loosely behind your ears - lift the left knee and cross over the right elbow to meet it (or as far as you can go). Return to upright and do the other side - right knee, left elbow. The key is to concentrate on keeping the abs tight and drawn back to your spine (think of it that way). Exhale as you crunch down and inhale as you straighten up.
3) Side Crunch. Standing up - place your left hand on your left hip; put your right arm straight up alongside your ear; rotate your right leg out just slightly. Bend knee up (should be pointing out to side) and bend elbow down to meet knee (or as far as you can go). Crunch down slightly using your side/oblique muscles. Concentrate again on keeping abs tight and in; exhale as you crunch and inhale as you return to starting pose.
How many you do of these is up to you. Start with one set of 10, and then increase as you can. When finished, be sure to stretch your sides and your abs. Also - Pilates has great exercises for abs, without really doing any traditional crunches/sit-ups.
Jo
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