For pre-designed ab workouts, view EMG’s Ab Workouts.
Crunches Legs Straight Up Description
Step 1. Lie on your back with your legs straight up perpendicular to your body. Your hands may be crossed on your chest or behind your head.
Step 2. Use your upper abdominal muscles to raise your shoulders and upper back off the floor in a forward curling motion.
Step 3. Then, lower your torso to the starting position, lightly touching your shoulder blades to the floor before repeating the curling motion.
Notes
Crunches are the primary exercise for working the upper ab. Crunches with the legs straight up is a variation on the crunch. By putting the legs up, the user must engaged his core to maintain balance throughout. The lower abs are also engaged by keeping the legs in place and off the ground. A common mistake when performing crunches 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 work less. Crunches 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
