Working those ABS! by: Amanda

Hi everyone. I'm sure many of you out there have tried endlessly to get your abs into shape to no avail. But fear not...it's not that you're not trying hard enough, it's just that you're neglecting to remember the FERST rule!

In order to get great looking abs, simple crunches aren't enough: You have to take into account other parts of your body as well. As an aerobics instructor, we're taught to teach different parts of the FERST rule during ab training exercises. The following depicts each step of the rule, which should be done to properly train your abs. So, if you've been struggling, consider the following!

Examples

Flexion Exercises:
1. The simple ab crunch
2.The double leg raise (raising both legs up straight while keeping your back on the floor).

Extention Exercises (involves the lower back):
1. "Superman" (lying on your stomach while raising the arms and legs in an alternating style)
2. "Good Mornings" (bending down as far as you can with your back straight)

Rotation:
1. The Russian Twist (using a partner and passing a medicine ball at your sides while your backs are touching)
2. Shoulder-to-knee side crunches
3. The dreaded "BICYCLE"! (keeping your abs in and back on the ground while pumping out your legs in an alternating motion)

Stabalization:
1. Sitting against the wall with your back pressed firmly against the wall and your knees in a squatting position. You'll need to hold the position for awhile

Transfer of Force
1. While kneeling, throw a medicine ball into the air, catch, and repeat.

Try following these exercices, one by one, for each of your workouts. If you don't have a medicine ball, you can use weights or something heavy that will require you to work a bit harder.

Good luck!!!

~Amanda