Reverse crunches
Reverse crunches are one of the best forms of exercise for targeting your lower abdominals:
1. Lie flat on your back on a mat with your hands and feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at 90 degrees – keep your hands next to your thighs
2. Contract your abs and bend your knees bringing them towards your chest
3. With your knees next to your chest, hold this move for a few seconds and squeeze your abs
4. Slowly lower your feet back towards the floor
Seated Reverse Crunch
Perching on the end of a bench increases the workload on your lower abs in order to stabilise your torso
1. Perch on the end of a bench with your hands gripped on the bench either side of you for support
2. Hold your feet out in front of you and lean your torso back to approximately 45 degrees
3. Bring your knees up towards your chest maintaining balance and slowly lower them back down
Medicine ball reverse crunch
This exercise uses a medicine ball which is held between your feet which increases the weight and resistance
1. Adopt the same position as for the standard reverse crunch and hold a small medicine ball between your feet
2. Contract your abs and raise your knees towards your chest with the ball still in place between your feet
3. Gently lower your legs back down to the ground
Tuck and crunch
This exercise targets your abs from both above and below at the same time:
1. Lie on your back on the floor on a mat with your legs raised off the floor with your calves parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows so that your hands are touching your temples
2. Contract your abs and raise your shoulders and hips at the same time
3. Lower your body slowly back to the rest position
