This tip brought to you by our Exercise Guru Nicholas Frank
on Mar 16, 2009
Here is a great abdominal exercise for the entirety of your abdomen. This will contract your abs without having to do any kind of movement, for this exercise involves an isometric (static) contratcion. Oh yes it does. Let's learn it, shall we?
Start with arms bent with elbows and lower arm upon the ground parallel to one another directly beneath the shoulder, meaning that ones head should be right above their hands on the floor. Draw in your belly button slightly and lightly contract your gluteus muscles (butt) and lift your knees off the floor. Make sure feet are hip-width apart, for you want to envision your body being very straight. The body should be parallel with the floor. Keep the abdomen steady and do not allow the lower back to slouch, also making sure the head doesn’t shoot forward. Hold for desired amount of time.
This is an exercise that, when done improperly, will cause lower back pain. Be careful that as you are holding the position you find a position that allows your lower back not to hurt while still working your abs, while too staying in a straight (or anatomically neutral ) posture. If this is too difficult, begin this exercise with knees on the floor. Once improving, go on one knee and the other foot. Work your way up to holding this position for a minute until you move onto the full-on Prone Iso-Abs posture. Good luck!
