Workout Wednesday: Crunch, Crunch

I’m back from my Workout Wednesday hiatus and even though I only took one week off (to do this fun guest post) It feels like it’s been FOR-EV-ER.

In honor of Spring Break and the impending summer season, today’s workout is the crunch. This is not your ordinary lie-on-you-back-and-lift-you-head-up-exercise. In fact I hate the basic crunch. I think it is pretty worthless compared to all the other things you could be doing to tone your ab muscles.

Double Crunch with Leg Press:

photos via here and here

1. Lie on your back, hands behind your head. Lift up legs and bend your knees so your shins are paralel with the ceiling.

2. Crunch upper and lower body at the same time, lifting your shoulder blades off the floor as you bring your knees in towards your head.

• Make sure you are not pulling on your head and are actually getting your shoulders off the ground and usuing yur abs to pull you up
• As you crunch your lower body up, lift your butt straight up towards the ceiling

3. As you return to starting position, press legs all the way out so they are paralel to the floor. Hold for a count of two.

4. Return to starting position and repeat for 15-20 reps.

Want to make it harder or mix it up? Hold a medicine ball in your hands and keep a stability ball squeezed between feet.

*Remeber, crunches alone won’t slim abs. Get your cardio on, and eat well, to really see results!

Have a happy workout!