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5 Ways to Make Crunches on the Ball More Challenging

FitSugar — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 04:00:00 -0700

Step into any gym at any given time and you'll most likely find someone doing crunches on the ball. And for good reason as crunches on the ball has been found to make the abs work 24 to 38 percent more than traditional crunches. The problem is, like all good things, they can get boring and become less challenging. If this is the case for you then don't stop crunching on the ball, just switch it up. Here are a few ideas for a more challenging crunch on the ball:

Bring your legs together. The closer your legs are together the harder it is to keep balance on the ball, which means the better the ab/core workout.
Try to slow it down to really challenge your abs — count 1-2-3 up, 1-2-3 down.
Try adding a light weight by holding a light dumbbell in your hands in front of your chest. This will provide added resistance and further challenge your abs.
Try placing the ball under your lower back, instead of under the upper or middle portion of your back, this will give you a tough ab workout.
Try adding a twist (twist to try and touch your elbow to the opposite knee — this is great for the obliques (aka love handles).

Source

Get on the Ball: Crunches

FitSugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 08:30:00 -0800

Although many people don't enjoy it, no one would ever tell you that abdominal work is not important. If you want a strong body, you need a strong center. Chances are high you want to make every bit of your abdominal workout count so to make your crunches most effective you need to move them onto a ball. A recent study ranked traditional crunches as the 11th most effective abdominal exercise, but ranked crunches on an exercise ball the most effective. Crunching on the ball made the abs work 24 to 38 percent more. And in this case more is good! To balance on the unstable surface of the ball, your core is stimulated to recruit more muscle fibers.

If you are new to using an exercise ball for ab work, to get some important details

Move it at Home: Worth It?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 12:00:00 -0800

Many of you have questioned whether or not an at home work out is equivalent to a work out at the gym or outside.

The answer is yes! You can absolutely work out at home, you just have to do it. The main issue with working out at home is that there are so many distractions (the tv, the kids, the husband, the couch...) that can lure you away from working out to your fullest potential. But if you are the disciplined type, an at home work out can be a great way to get that toned body you've been wanting.

One of the best parts about working out at home is that you can get a very rounded routine without the costs of the gym. Yoga one day, pilates another and kickboxing another... the options are endless. If you're not into laying on the sweaty mats at the gym, do your ab work at home -- just make sure you actually do it and that you actually do it well.

Fit's Tip: Be sure to find something you can really do correctly. If you get a video or a piece of equipment that is above your difficulty level you run the risk of giving up or injuring yourself. If you like to do the work outs on tv, make sure it is up to par with your difficulty level since most of those (with the exception of FITtv) are aimed at an older, couch potato audience.