Raised leg crunches

COURTESY OF GLOBAL FITNESS

Major muscles used

• Upper abdominals (Rectus Abdominis)
• Middle abdominals (Rectus Abdominis)

Performing raised leg crunches

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your legs up on a bench or in the air. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor.
• Your hands should either be crossed on your chest, by your side, or cupped behind your ears.
• Without moving your lower body, curl your upper torso up and in toward your knees, until your shoulder blades are as high off the ground as you can get them. Only your shoulder blades should lift--not your back.
• As you come to the highest point, tighten and flex your abdominals for a brief second.
• Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.

Be careful

• Don't jerk yourself up to achieve the exercise. Slowly bring yourself up using your abdominals only.
• Don't let your lower back raise off the floor. Go as far up as you feel your abdominals become tight and hold for a brief second.
• Don't move quickly. You must do this exercise very slowly and resist on the way back.

Alternative exercises to raised leg crunches

• Cable crunches
• Oblique crunches
• Hanging leg lifts

Courtesy of Global-Fitness.com, your Online Personal Trainer

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