5 exercises for fab abs!

esterday, we presented some myths and facts about abdominals.

Today, we have five exercises to get those fab abs!

1. Basic crunch

• Lie on an exercise mat with your knees bent and hands behind the head.
• Lift your upper body off the floor using your upper back and shoulder blades.
• Do 10 repetitions of the basic crunch.

Trainer's tip: Never allow the chin and chest to touch.

2. Leg lift

• Lie on the exercise mat with your hands below your lower back.
• Keep your legs up straight so that they are perpendicular to your upper body.
• Move them back and forth, but not beyond, a 45 degree angle.

Trainer's tip: Never lift your lower back off the floor or let the legs go all the way to the floor.

3. Bicycle pump

• Lie down in the basic crunch position with hands below your head.
• Lift your upper body while twisting it towards the left, bringing your right knee towards it and vice-versa.

Trainer's tip: Keep your lower back flat on the floor and the upper back curved in a C-shape.

4. Sit-up

• Lie down in the basic crunch position with hands crossed at the chest.
• Ask your trainer to stand on your toes.
• Lift your upper body off the floor, keeping your chin up.

Trainer's tip: Never jerk your body while lifting yourself off the floor. Do it slowly and do only a few at a time until you get the technique right. This is not for beginners or people with lower back problems.

5. Rowing

• Lie down on the floor with your hands below the lower back. Bend your knees and bring them as close to your chest as possible.
• Keeping your back stable on the floor, lift your buttocks inward. Your hips should only reach a couple inches off the ground. 
• Lower your hips until the top of your buttocks touches the floor.

Five-minute abs!

If you are hard-pressed for time and want to increase the intensity of your ab workouts, try this:

Choose any three exercises and do 20 repetitions of each without stopping. For example:

• 20 reps of basic crunch
• 20 reps of bicycle pump
• 20 reps of leg lifts

Stretch. Repeat any three combinations two more times.

Caution: Do not perform any exercise without expert supervision.

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Samreedhi Sharma runs her exercise studio Sizewise, exclusively for personal training and nutrition. She has written a number of columns on fitness, and is the international contributing writer for www.protraineronline.com and www.bodybuilding.com