1. Inhale and curl your torso upward. If you feel your ab muscles relax, you have gone too far; keep tension on them.

2. Try to touch your knees with your head as you contract your muscles.

3. Exhale as you complete the movement and return to starting position for the next repetition.

Notes: This exercise focuses on the rectus abdominis. It places secondary emphasis on the obliques. The pelvic tilt intensely works the rectus femoris, iliopsoas, and tensor faciae latae.

1. Inhale, contracting your muscles so that your torso raises your upper shoulders off the floor. Continue until the lower part of the shoulders/shoulder blades are just off the floor.

2. Exhale while you complete the movement.

3. Repeat without resting your torso.

4. Repeat as many repetitions as necessary until you feel a burning sensation in your abdominals. Also, maintain a constant tension on the ab muscles, i.e., squeeze them continually as you perform the exercise.

Notes: This exercise works the hip flexors, obliques, and focuses on the rectus abdominis.

1. Twist your hips from side to side. Ensure that you keep your shoulders stationary.

2. Bend your knees slightly while controlling your movements. You should begin with a light weight load.

Notes: Depending on what machine your gym has, you may alter this exercise by keeping the hips stationary as your rotate your shoulders while keeping them straight. This exercise works the external and internal oblique with secondary emphasis on the rectus abdominis. To feel the effort more strongly, you can slightly round your back.

1. Inhale and shorten your torso. Attempt to move your chest toward your thighs as you contract your abdomen muscles.

2. Exhale at the end of the movement and return to the starting position.

Notes: This is an excellent exercise that allows you to select the weight. Beginners should start with a light weight load that can be done for 12-15 repetitions.

1. Inhale and pull your knees upward to your chest. Round your back to contract your abdominals correctly.

2. Exhale while you complete the movement. Return to the starting position.

Notes: This exercise works the hip flexors, particularly the iliopsoas, oblique and rectus abdiminis.

1. Inhale and incline your torso less than 20 degrees. Generally, this angle is reached when you have raised your torso until the bottom of your shoulder blades are barely touching the bench.

2. Move your torso back up, Slightly curling your torso to place more stress on the rectus abdominis.

3. Exhale while you complete the movement. Return to the starting position for the next repetition.

Notes: This exercise works the entire rectus abdominis muscle wall and the iliopsoas, tensor fasciae latae, and rectus femoris in the quadriceps group. The latter three muscles help tilt the pelvis forward.

1. Adjust your feet until they are directly above your hips.

2. Raise your hips by shortening your torso. Attempt to touch your head to your knees.

This is an excellent exercise for your lower abdominals. You need a good strength foundation for this exercise. Beginners should adjust the board to a lower angle.

1. Inhale and shorten your torso by moving your chest toward your thighs. Squeeze the abdominal muscles at the same time by flexing them.

2. Exhale while you perform the exercise. Once you touch your chest to your knees, return to the starting position and begin again. Breathe in on the way up.

Notes: Don’t use heavy weight with this movement. It is important to focus on the tension in your abdominals. The best way to do this is to squeeze the muscles as you contract them.

1. Inhale and raise your knees as high as possible; be sure to move your knees to your chest by shortening your torso.

2. Exhale as you complete the movement, i.e., as your knees near your chest.

Notes: This exercise works the following muscles: iliopsoas, Rectus femoris, and tensor Fasciae lataeas as you raise your legs. Also, the Rectus abdominis and, to a lesser extent, the obliques as you move your knees to your chest.

1. Inhale and curl your torso as high as possible off the floor.

2. Exhale as you complete the movement. Return to the starting position and begin the next repetition.

Notes: This exercise focuses on the rectus abdominis and places secondary emphasis on the internal and external obliques.

Place your torso farther from the gym ladder and hook your feet lower to increase pelvic mobility. This will allow you to gain a greater range of motion and more involvement of the hip flexors from this exercise.