This is another one of those exercises that looks a lot easier than it really is! However, when done correctly, it is a great core training exercise, and you will build up the stability of your shoulder joints as well. Link to Full Story
Crunches on an exercise ball are a very effective abdominal exercise, but you need to do them right if you want to get the most out of the movement! Link to Full Story
This is one of my favorite abdominal exercises, and if you want to get the most "bang for your buck" out of the time that you spend working your abs, you should try this exercise out and see how effective it is! Link to Full Story
A great overall body exercise that works the shoulders and arms, lower back, abs, and legs - all at the same time! Link to Full Story
Unlike a standard Exercise Ball Crunch, this movement requires the activation of more core muscles, including the obliques, thus making it a much more effective exercise.
Alternating Crunches on Exercise Ball
The most common mistake with this exercise is bringing the upper body off of the ball and then twisting to one side or the other. You will recruit more muscle fibers by twisting as you come up, reversing the twist on the way back down, and then doing the same movement on the other side. Also, when in the top most part of the movement, hold that peak contraction for one or two full seconds before returning to the bottom position. Come back up from the bottom position immediately, though - do linger there and rest.
I assure you, this exercise is much harder than it looks if you do it right!
Be sure to visit Fitness Generator to get access to thousands of exercise graphics as well as instructions on using bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, and more!
Horizontal Rotation on Exercise Ball
Not only is this an incredible core stabilization exercise, but it is an awesome exercise for the obliques (side abdominal muscles) as well. The trick to doing this movement properly is to keep your hips up so that your upper legs are parallel to the floor at all times. Also, be sure that just your shoulders are on the ball and not your lower back, and also that you rotate as far as possible to the left and to the right. The farther away you get from the mid-line of your body during each rotation, the more you will get out of this exercise. You can use any kind of a bar, pole, or even a dumbbell or a medicine ball to vary your intensity level.
