Fitness Training Exercises

Strength Training - Abdominal and Waist
Reverse Abdominal Curl

Equipment Required:

None

Starting Position:

Lie on back with arms alongside body (palms down).
Bend knees and bring them as close as possible to the chest (hip joints and knee joints should be maximally flexed.)
Cross ankles and keep feet relaxed.

Actions To Execute Exercise:

Keeping the entire upper body on the floor, lift hips and buttocks and contract the abdominal muscles inward. (This exercise uses a very small range of motion; hips will lift just slightly off the floor.)
Pause; slowly lower until top of buttocks touches the floor.
Repeat.

Breathing Technique

Exhale and contract the abdominal muscles inward (pull navel toward spine) while lifting the hips; inhale and relax the abdominal muscles while returning to starting position.
Avoid holding your breath.

What The Exercise Does:

Strengthens the lower abdominal muscles (lower fibers of the rectus abdominis, obliques).
The transverse abdominis will be trained provided proper breathing techniques are practiced.

Variations On This Exercise:

For increased difficulty, hands may be placed behind the head.
With hands placed behind the head, simultaneously lift the upper body while lifting the hips. Add rotation for further involvement of the waist muscles.
This exercise may also be performed on a flat bench. Lie on the bench, bring the arms overhead and hold the underside of the bench, keeping your elbows close to the ears. Execute the exercise as described above.

Precautions / Contraindications

Avoid swinging the legs back and forth; this creates momentum and decreases muscular effort. It may also stress the lower back.
This exercise requires good low back and hamstring flexibility and may not be appropriate for some individuals.
This exercise may be contraindicated for some individuals with back or neck problems, high blood pressure or during pregnancy.

Fitness Training Tips:

When performed correctly, the reverse ab curl uses a small range of motion.
For maximum effectiveness, keep hips and knees flexed maximally throughout the movement. Use only the abdominal muscles to execute the movement.