MOVE OF THE MONTH
(Scroll
down to the bottom of the page for a slide-show demonstration of this exercise)
Are you doing crunches until you are
blue in the face and STILL not happy with the results??
There is a whole
lot more to core training than the average crunch……….
If
you want to optimize your abdominal muscle workout, you have got to use enough load to challenge your abs……remember,
they are MUSCLES!!
WEIGHTED OVERHEAD CRUNCH ON A DECLINE
MUSCLES WORKED: Rectus Abdominis, External Obliques, Internal Obliques, Transverse Abdominals
Performing your crunches with a weight plate,(or weighted
ball or bar), makes training your abs more efficient, challenging and effective. The added weight helps to fatigue your muscles
in fewer reps. You’ll work your entire midsection evenly, resulting in flatter, firmer abs in less time!
Lie on a decline bench with knees bent and feet tucked under
foot pads.
Holding a weight plate with both hands, lift your arms above your head. Looking up at the plate, it should
be above your neck/chest area.
Contract your abdominals to bring your spine to a neutral position.
Maintain arm position
as you curl your torso upward, moving smoothly as one unit. Flex only from the spine and bring ribs toward ceiling, to lift
shoulder blades off the bench.
Pause at the top, then lower to starting position.
Begin with two sets of 10- 15 reps
or until the point of fatigue. Try to progress to a third set.
Mistakes to avoid: Do not use a weight so heavy that you compromise your range of motion. This will
stress the neck and shoulders. Do not arch your back as you return to the starting position; this can place pressure on the
discs in the lower back. Lastly, do not jerk your body into position as you lift your torso; this will also place stress on
the spine and neck.
