exercise instructions

How to do Side Crunches

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One of the best things about crunches aside from their effectiveness in toning your stomach muscles is their versatility. You can easily vary your position and movements in order to focus on areas you need to work on. With side crunches, your obliques are given primary importance and play the biggest role when performing them.

If you are a novice, side crunches are good starting point to exercise your obliques without engaging any complicated moves or adding weights first. Your abs also gets a good workout in the process as you lift your upper body during the execution. Just be sure to refrain from moving your hips and lower body to gain maximum benefits from this exercise.

By training your obliques, you are also improving your overall flexibility and reducing any risk of spinal injury. Not to mention, obliques are responsible for developing curvy, well shaped upper body among women.

Because of the various ways side crunches can benefit your six pack abs goal, feel free to incorporate them in your six pack abs exercises and together with healthy eating, you can surely see those love handles go away in no time.

Check the video below for detailed instructions to doing side crunches correctly.

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Lie down on the floor, facing the ceiling.
  2. Bend your knees.
  3. Bend your elbows and place your hands on the side of your head or cross your arms and rest them in front of you.
  4. Twist your lower body to one side and lay your legs on top of each other so that your knees are buckled to the side.

Execution

Lift your upper body off the floor toward the ceiling until you reach a challenging angle. Refrain from moving your lower body.

Return

Slowly move back downward to your original position.

Repeat

Repeat several times and do the same when you twist your lower body to the other side.

Add or modify a step based on how you do it. Tell us by sending your comments below.

How to do Ball Crunches

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvb4hCtF5Bc[/youtube]

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Position the exercise ball on the floor and make sure it’s relatively close to a wall.
  2. Sit on the ball and find your balance.
  3. Place both hands on each side of your head with your fingers lightly touching the side of your face.

Execution

  1. Walk a little farther from the ball so you roll on your back completely. Keep feet flat on the ground.
  2. Lift your shoulders up and begin to do a crunch, keeping your abdominal muscles tight.
  3. Exhale as you crunch up.

Return

  1. Slowly go back to your initial position.
  2. Inhale as you lower yourself down.

Repeat
 
What other ball crunches tips have you learned doing? Share them by adding your own tips below.

How to do Front Squat

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJVh_1Z-OLQ[/youtube]

If you want explosive leg power, front squats would be the leading bodybuilder workout to do. Front squats are highly intense exercises primarily for your quadriceps. They also provide superior training for your lower body, including lower back, glutes, hip flexors, calves, hamstrings.

However, many people stay away from doing front squats due to its high level of difficulty. Aside from getting the technique right, the barbells are placed in front of your shoulders, further increasing the challenge. But in order not to be discouraged and not lose out on the benefits of this tremendously powerful exercise, you could start with weights that are lighter and then gradually increase from there.

Moreover, the barbell placed in front of you may actually work to your advantage by forcing your upper body to stay upright, preventing any undue stress on your back.

Fronts squats may be tough to do but as you can see from those who regularly include this in their six pack abs exercises, this difficulty is for very good reasons. The benefits you gain for your quads do so much more than other regular exercises.

Before you start on it, watch the video to doing this exercise with more precision and accuracy.

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Set up a barbell with your desired weight and rest it carefully on top of your shoulders and under your chin.
  2. Cross your arms in front of you to secure the bar in place. Keep your arms and the bar parallel to the floor.

Execution

  1. Squat down as you would when you’re about to sit on a chair, with feet at shoulder width.
  2. Stop as soon as your thighs are parallel to the floor. Make sure that as you look down, your knees don’t bend over the tip of your toes. Also, keep your back flat and shoulders level to the floor.

Return

Carefully lift the weight back up and assume your original position.

Repeat
 
Any other ways you would do a front squat? Tell us how by adding your own suggestions below.

How to do Seated Reverse Abdominal Leg Crunches

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyZObLlAL2Q[/youtube]

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Sit upright on a chair or bench.
  2. Hold on to the sides of the chair or bench with your hands and extend both legs so they are parallel to the floor.

Execution

Bring both knees inward.

Return

Carefully stretch your legs out back to your original position.

Repeat
 
How often do you perform this workout? Send us your comments below.

How to do V Sit-up With Medicine Ball

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OZwzYbuJYQ[/youtube]

Instructions

Preparation

  1. Adjust bench so that it’s at a 45 degree angle to the floor.
  2. Hook your feet at the top of the bench and lie down.
  3. Take a medicine ball and hold it over your chest with both hands.

Execution

  1. Lift your upper body off the bench.
  2. Simultaneously raise the ball toward the ceiling and above your head, releasing it slightly and catching it right back while your shoulders are still up.

Return

Slowly make your way back to the bench and assume your starting position.

Repeat
 
Have you tried this? What is your greatest challenge with the v-sit up exercise? Tell us more by entering your comments below.