[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KGMKIRFBbk[/youtube]
If you have done bicycle crunches in the past as part of your six pack abs exercises routine, you would know how effective it can be in getting your abdominals to work.
Add a medicine ball to this exercise as a variation and to increase the effectiveness of your routine. Like the regular bicycle crunch, the bicycle crunch and medicine ball exercise also targets your abs, mainly the obliques muscles, transverse abdominal muscle and rectus abdominus but with added intensity.
With the various abdominal muscles involved, you get a full workout for your torso. And because of the pedalling motion you do with this exercise, your quadriceps also get into action.
As in all abs exercises, form takes precedence over the number of reps when doing the bicycle crunch and medicine ball. You have to feel your abs muscles contracting to assess whether you are targeting the right set of muscles.
Since execution is relatively easy, both beginners and expert alike can benefit from this exercise. You too can do this to jumpstart your goal of burning belly fat and building great looking, washboard abs.
To be certain you are getting the form right, watch the video on bicycle crunch and medicine ball below with step by step instructions.
Instructions
Preparation
- Lie flat on your back and bend your knees.
- Take a medicine ball and hold it up over your chest with both hands
Execution
- Lift your knees alternately toward the direction of your chest, mocking a cycling motion in the air.
- Lift your torso off the floor and twist your shoulder toward the direction of the opposite knee so they meet in the middle and keep doing so alternately.
Return
Bring your feet back to the ground and lower your upper body to the floor.
Repeat
Have you tried this routine? What can you say about it? Leave your opinions below.