If you have tired of regular abdominal crunches [1], you might want to up the ante by adding some weight to the move. The Dumbbell Crunch variation makes a basic crunch more challenging and saves you time — you need to do less in order to achieve the same results.

Grab a set of dumbbells and .

• Lie on your back with a set of dumbbells nearby. Bend your knees and place your heels a few inches from your bum. Place a dumbbell in each hand.
• Now bend your elbows and hold the dumbbells vertically, so the bottoms are on either side of your head. Engage your abs by drawing your navel toward your spine, and press your lower back into the floor.
• When you're ready, keeping your belly pulled in, lift your upper body off the floor, so your shoulder blades are floating above the ground. Slowly lower back down, but don't let your shoulders or head touch down.
• Do a total of 20 to 25 crunches, take a break, and do another set.