Body Basic: Abdominal Curl
The cross-cycling action in this exercise works your abs.
By Maureen Hagan
Photography by Susan Ashukian
Want to strengthen your abs? Try this exercise.
Abdominal Curl
1. Lie on your back with both knees bent at 90 degrees directly over your hips and your feet in the air. Keeping your shins parallel with the floor, tilt the back of your pelvis down toward the floor, but not necessarily flat against it.
2. Place your hands behind your head and tighten your lower abdominals, focussing on drawing your navel in toward your spine. Straighten your right leg out and lower it toward the floor at the same time as you move your left knee in toward your chest and your right shoulder and elbow diagonally across to meet your left knee. Exhale as you perform this diagonal cross-over cycling action. Pause to inhale and exhale, then switch sides.
3. Focus on maintaining a stable low spine during the cross-over action, by pulling your abdominals in and up and exhaling as you extend one leg out and the opposite knee and elbow toward each other. Don't worry if your elbow does not touch your knee.
4. Keep your head relaxed and try not to pull it with your arms as you perform the exercise. Let your breath set the pace.
Repetitions and Sets
Perform one set of five to 10 repetitions on each side (10-20 total). Do this exercise at least every other day.