17
Abdominal Crunch
Muscles worked:
Rectus abdominus, obliques
Position:
Seated – facing outward
Accessory:
Gym Style Ab Crunch Station, Lumbar
Support Pad
Pulleys:
Chest bar, mid position
Before You Begin:
Attach Lumbar Support Pad to seat back.
Key Points:
• Position the Lumbar Support Pad below the
shoulderblades and above the hips, and
adjust to a comfortable location on the seat
back.
• Allow exhalation down and inhalation up,
but don’t exaggerate it.
• Head should follow rib motion, not lead it.
Maintain normal neck posture.
• Tighten abs throughout range of motion. Do
• Once you are seated with the Lumbar
Support Pad positioned correctly,
mid back can start out with a slight
arch, knees and hips bent and feet
flat on floor.
• Tighten abs and curl only the torso,
slowly moving rib cage toward
hips. Move as far as you can
without moving hips or neck. Mid
back should not lose contact with
the pad when fully crunched.
• Slowly reverse motion, returning
to start position without relaxing
the abs.
Lower Back Extension
Muscles worked:
Lower back (erector spinae, deep spinal
muscles), gluteus maximus, hamstrings
Position:
Seated – facing inward
Accessory:
Gym Style Ab Crunch Station
Pulleys:
Chest bar, mid position
Key Points:
• Keep chest lifted and a very slight arch in
the lower back.
• Move from the hips, not the waist. Do not
increase or decrease the arch in the lower
back during the movement.
• Sit on the seat facing the machine
.
• Keep feet flat on the floor.
• Lift the chest and maintain a slight
arch in the lower back.
• Lean forward from the hips, slightly
letting out tension in the cables.
• Keep chest lifted and move the
entire torso back as a unit, pivoting
at the hips.
• Slowly return to the starting posi
-
tion without slouching forward or
changing spinal alignment.
START
ACTION
START
ACTION
17
Exercises
not let abs relax until set is over.
• MOVE SLOWLY, in a controlled
motion, to eliminate momentum.
