coreexercises

Leg Raises

How To Do Leg Raises

Lie face up on a mat, and raise your upper legs until they’re perpendicular to the floor. Bend your knees slightly.
Without changing the arch in your lower back or the angle of your knees, brace your core and try to take 3 to 5 seconds to lower your feet as close to the floor as you can.

Hip Raises

Lay down on an exercising mat with your back resting on the floor.
Position your feet flat on the ground and fold your legs such that your knees are in a bent position. The profile view of your legs should be that of an inverted ‘V’.
Stating position: Move your arms out by your sides, away from the body. Position your hands such that your palms are facing upwards.
Applying the force from your heels, raise your hips in the upward direction.
Final position: Keep raising your glutes in the upward direction until your thighs, hips and back are in a straight line.
Stay there in this position for a count of one and return back to the starting position by lowering your hips back to the floor.
pause for a while and repeat the above steps.

Side Plank

Start on your side with your feet together and one forearm directly below your shoulder.
Contract your core and raise your hips until your body is in a straight line from head to feet.
Hold the position without letting your hips drop for the allotted time for each set, then repeat on the other side.

Common Form Mistakes

Ensure you’re balancing on the side of your foot and not the sole as this is key to prolonging stability.
Engage your abdominals at all times to keep the body rigid. Forget to do this and your body will likely sway and lose strength.
Try to keep your head and neck straight. Ideally find a spot on the wall and keep your eyes locked on it.
The longer you hold the side plank, the better. Anything in excess of a minute is good, two minutes plus is excellent. To make the exercise harder, straighten your supporting arm with the palm flat on the mat. You can also elevate your feet on an unstable surface such as a Bosu ball for added difficulty.

Plank

Place the forearms on the ground with the elbows aligned below the shoulders, and arms parallel to the body at about shoulder-width distance.
If flat palms bother your wrists, clasp your hands together.

Cross Arm Crunch

Lie down on the floor flat on your back. Bend your knees at a 90 degree angle and/or until your feet are flat against the floor.
Now, pick your hand positioning. Many say that crossing your arms across your chest is the best and safest method, but as long as you don’t strain your neck you can just as effectively perform your crunches with hands lightly placed on the back of your neck or against the sides of your head. Tip: Be sure not to lock your fingers together behind your neck.
Push down into the floor using your lower back while flexing your abs. Breathe out and lift your shoulders off the ground about four or so inches. Make sure your lower back isn’t lifting off the floor. When you reach the highest point of the crunch, flex your abs and hold this position for a second. Tip: Make sure to remember- “Quality over Quantity”. You will simply cheat yourself out of gains by doing crunches quickly, because your momentum will carry you and make them easier. Slow, focused reps are the only way to truly make these an effective workout.
After you have held the peak of your crunch for a second, slowly allow your body to return to the starting position while you take a breathe.
Continue your crunches for 2-4 sets of 25-30 reps each. Adjust your sets and reps to fit in with your current ab workouts.

Double Crunch Exercise

Step 1
Lie down with feet bent. Place hands behind your head.

Step 2
Simultaneously crunch the abdomen and bring knees toward the chest.

Step 3
Return to the starting position and repeat the exercise.