For pre-designed ab workouts, view EMG’s Ab Workouts.
Crunches Knees Up Description
Step 1. Lie on your back and raise your legs so that your thighs are perpendicular to your body and your calves are parallel to the floor. Place your hands across your chest or behind your head.
Step 2. Use your upper abdominal muscles to raise your shoulders and back off the floor in a forward curling motion.
Step 3. Then, slowly lower your torso to the starting position, lightly touching your shoulder blades to the floor. Repeat.
Notes
Crunches are the primary exercise for working the upper ab. Crunches with the knees up is a variation on the crunch. By putting the knees up, the user must engage his core to maintain balance throughout the motion. The lower abs are also engaged by keeping the legs in place and off the ground. A common mistake when performing this exercise is to let the shoulder blades go flat on the ground between repetitions. By doing this, the user disengages the core muscles and this makes the exercise less effective. It is also important not to pull the head and neck upwards with your hands. Not only could this lead to a neck strain, but it makes the upper abs to less work. This exercise should be performed using only the upper abs to perform the motion. The hands and arms are just for support and balance.
Updated: April 11th, 2015
