Fitness Training Exercises

Strength Training - Abdominal and Waist
Curl-up

Equipment Required:

None

Starting Position:

Lie on back and bend knees (feet placed shoulder-width apart, 6-8" from buttocks).
Arms may be placed in the following positions (listed in order of difficulty, from least to most difficult):
1) extended along sides of body,
2) folded across chest,
3) hands behind head the neck (fingers are not interlocked, elbows are bent and remain out to the sides),
4) arms extended overhead with upper arms near ears.
Press the lower back to the floor.

Actions To Execute Exercise:

Keeping the lower back and waist on the floor, slowly contract the abdominal muscles and curl the upper body off the floor as high as possible (or to about 30 degrees).
Pause; slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat.

Breathing Technique

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

What The Exercise Does:

Strengthens the abdominal muscles(rectus abdominis, internal and external obliques).
The transverse abdominis will be trained provided proper breathing techniques are practiced.

Variations On This Exercise:

Elevate the feet. Keep hips bent at a 90 degree angle to the torso. Legs may be bent, placed on the edge of a bench or held straight in the air.
This exercise may also be performed using added resistance. Hold light weights in hands placed across the chest or place wrist weights around the upper forearms.
For additional difficulty, perform the curl-up on a crunch board, with the board in an elevated position.

Precautions / Contraindications

This exercise may be contraindicated for some individuals with back or hip problems, arthritis, high blood pressure or during pregnancy.

Fitness Training Tips:

When performing the curl-up concentrate on bending below the rib cage when lifting the upper body.
Keep the head in alignment with the spine; avoid focusing on the ceiling which may cause you to lift using the neck muscles.
For maximum effectiveness, this exercise should be performed slowly wit emphasis on correct technique.