Marion Freijsen A blog about Sports, Fitness & Health

Crazy Crunches

It’s time to start working those abs a little more – it’s amazing how all magazines seem to have a line on the front cover saying “get your bikini-body” or something to that extent. I think about 30% of all women dare wear a bikini – the other 70% prefer to wear something that covers a little more! Anyway – it grabs your attention. Now here’s how to really get those abs toning. By the way, you can tone all you like, but don’t forget that unless you also do lots of cardio to lower your bodyfat, you still won’t see much of those gorgeously toned muscles…. unfortunately it’s a matter of doing both.

Forget the old-fashioned crunches – only if you do them 100% right do they have much impact. Try a variation of these instead:

Hundreds – this is a basic Pilates move, but great for lower and deeper abdominals. Jessica Post, my pilates instructor in the VS, always uses them to get warmed up. I tell you, after these, I am definitely warm!! So lie on your back, raise your knees up to form a “tabletop” i.e. 90 degree angle to your body/mat. Curl up your neck and shoulders and reach your hands out alongside your body towards your toes about 10″ off the mat. Keep this position throughout without straining your lower back off the mat. Now pump your hands up and down in a fairly rapid movement (yes, it will look silly) and breath IN for 10 counts and out for 10 counts. Repeating the breathing 5 times in/out, makes your Hundred! As you get stronger, you can lift your legs straight out in a V-shape instead of keeping knees bent. Don’t lower so far though that you strain your lower back.

The Plank – leaning on elbows, hips level, tailbone tucked under (v. important! – protects your back and makes you work those deep abdominals!), toes underneath your ankles. Don’t arch your back either up or down – again, you won’t use the abs so much as your backmuscles. Keep it steady for 1 min. Do 3 reps.

The Sideplank -from the above, turn over onto so that one side of your body faces the floor, shoulders directly above your elbow which is leaning on the floor. Lean your upper leg lightly on your lower, the lower foot is pressing into the floor. Raise your hips towards the ceiling, but maintain a straight line with your body – neither angling forward nor backwards. If you had your feet towards the mirror, imagine that you only see the soles of your feet. Nothing should be sticking out to the front or the back. Stay in position for 1 min either side. 3 Reps

The Suitcase – v. appropriate for the summer! lie flat on the floor, always nice after the plank….your hands overhead. Now, you start curling up from the top of your spine moving your arms with you in the same upward motion. At the same time, you lift your straight legs up too, forming a V-shape resting on your tailbone. Like closing the two lids of a suitcase  – hence the name. Do these 10 times, work up to 20. 3 Reps. Be careful to ROLL up, not force your whole back off the floor in one go!

Crisscross – lie flat on your back – move your hands underneath your tailbone, lifting your hips a little bit off the mat but allowing you to move your lower back into the floor and keeping it stable there. Raise your legs in the air, and lower them just far enough to make you feel the tension in your abdominals, but not so far that they “pop out” or you strain your back. The scissor them, criss crossing for a count of 20. Lower and repeat 3 times.

If you do the above diligently – you will definitely begin to show a nice firm stomach over time. You may even be able to wear that bikini…well, the ladies that is at least!