Ab and Oblique and Lower Back Exercises

*Crunches
*Stability Ball Crunches
Machine Crunches
Rope Crunches
*Reverse Crunches
*Side Crunches
*Scissor Kicks
*In & Outs
*Hanging Leg Raises
Dumbbell Side Bends

*Plank

*Side Plank
*Sit-ups
*Plank
*Side Plank
*Supermans
*Hyperextensions

*Push up Side plank combo

*Stability ball plank leg raise combo

*Hand walk to push up/Jump squat combo

Core Exercises for the Kids

*Crunches
*Stability Ball Crunches
Machine Crunches
Rope Crunches
*Reverse Crunches
*Side Crunches
*Scissor Kicks
*In & Outs
*Hanging Leg Raises
Dumbbell Side Bends

*Plank

*Side Plank
*Sit-ups
*Supermans
*Hyperextensions

*Push up Side plank combo

*Stability ball plank leg raise combo

*Hand walk to push up/Jump squat combo

 
*Crunches

 
Crunch Demo

Crunches can be done a variety of ways. You can do them on the floor, on a stability ball, feet up, feet down, cross ways straight etc. I will describe a common crunch and include some of the more important demos to the right. Start by lying back either on a bench or on the floor. Allow your back to relax as you reach your hands up behind your head at the level of your ears. You may use your hands to support your head if you need, but do not pull on the head as this can cause neck trouble. Be sure to keep your chin off your chest and pointing to the sky or ceiling. Begin by lifting your shoulders upward off the ground by contracting the abdominal muscles. Continue upward as far as possible. Breathing is very important when crunching. Exhale on the way up. Return back to the starting position in a controlled manner where you will inhale. You may choose to crunch to the left and to the right to focus more on your sides (obliques).

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 Just click the Play button to see the exercise demonstrated

 
Crunches are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
Crunches are a great exercise for the Kids. They are very simple to do and easy to demonstrate and highly effective. Core work can be some of the most important exercise a Kid can do. Creating a strong Core will help them for the rest of their lives. Often times you will find that Crunches and other Core work will be challenging for Kids developing muscles. That's OK. Keep Crunching and you will be amazed at how quickly they become stronger.

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Machine Crunches

 
Machine Crunches are usually done in the gym, although there have be a great many different abdominal devices sold for doing exercise at home. In general, these machines will mimic the Crunch. The machine may have you sit upright with handles for you to grab as you crunch and flex the spine forward or it may have you lying on your back, again with handles for you to grab as you flex the spine forward. The handles may or may not be attached to a weight stack. If there is a weight stack envolved, make sure to start out using very light weight until you become familiar with the exercise. Begin by grabbing the handles with your hands, holding the machine tighly against your back and shoulders, flex the spine forward or up depending on whether you are seated upright or on your back. Continue as far forward or up as you can. Return back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Begin your next repetition by crunching forward or up again.

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Machine Crunches Can be a Good Exercise for the Kids

 
Machine Crunches can be a good exercise for the Kids. Often times if the machine moves there body a lot they will enjoy it more. If it is just a crunching device on the floor, they can become bored quickly. In that case switch to an exercise that is more fun for them like Sit-Ups or Crunches on the Ball.

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Rope Crunches

 
Rope Crunches are done at a cable station with the cable pulley set either at the top or almost at the top. They are called Rope Crunches because typically you will be attaching a rope to the cable. There are also handles made specially for this exercise. Grab the handles facing the cable machine and get down on your knees. You may place a mat under your knees if you like. You can either sit back on your feet or keep you butt up off your feet. Whichever you choose, you should not be moving at the waist/hip area as you do this exercise. Begin by holding the handles or rope above your head or at the side of your head as you flex you spine forward and down toward the floor. Continue as far as you can without flexing the at the waist/hip area. Return to the starting position, allowing the spine to extend in a controlled manner. Begin the next repetition by flexing the spine forward and down again.

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Rope Crunches are a Great Exercise for the Kids

Rope Crunches are a great exercise for the Kids. They are cruching their bodies forward in a sort of "bowing" motion. Usually this is fun for them. Getting them to keep their hips stationary may be a bit of a challenge but don't worry about it too much. Just keep reminding them of the correct form if they are not getting it right away.

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*Reverse Crunches

 
Reverse Crunch Demo

Reverse Crunches can be done either holding on to a pole or stationary object above your head or placing your hands at your sides on the floor as you lie on your back. Stabilizing yourself on your back, lift the feet toward the ceiling. You can lock your knees or have a slight bend in them as you hold your legs up toward the sky or ceiling. Begin by lifiting your butt off the floor by flexing the lower part of your spine upward. Continue up as far as you can without pulling your feet and legs up toward your head and chest area. Push the legs and feet up, directly toward the ceiling or sky. Return to the starting position in a controlled manner. Don't bring your legs down until you are done with the exercise.

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 Just click the Play button to see the exercise demonstrated

 
Reverse Crunches are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 Reverse Crunches are a great exercise for the Kids. You may find it difficult to keep them from pulling their feet and legs up toward their chest and head area. This can easily be fixed by giving them a target to hit directly above their feet. This is a very challenging and effective exercise for them.

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Side Crunches

 
Side Crunches can be done on the floor, a bench or a Stability Ball. Begin by lying on your side. If you are on the floor, you will want to flex forward at the waist/hips about 15 to 20 degrees forming a slight "V". If you are on a Stability Ball, lie on your side with your feet spread apart one in front of the other to keep your balance. Begin Crunching the spine to the side by flexing the core muscles on that same side. If you are on the floor, you can place the hand and arm closest to the floor under you for stability as you raise your whole head and shoulders up. Pick you feet up also so the only parts of you touching the ground will be your butt and that lower arm and hand. Continue up as far as you can. Return back to the starting position in a controlled manner. Begin the next repetition by crunching the spine to the side again.

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Side Crunches are a Great Exercise for the Kids

Side Crunches are a Great Exercise for Kids. It wil take some work for them to get the hang of the form but with continued practice they will be able to do the execise effectively.

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*Scissor Kicks

 
Scissor Kick Demo

Scissor Kicks indirectly work the abdominal muscles. The hip flexors are the primary muscles moving your legs. Scissor Kicks are done by lying on your back either on the floor or on a bench. You may place your hands at your sides or on your abdominal area or even under you butt. Lift both feet off the ground somewhere between 2 to 6 inches high. Holding one foot stationary, above the ground, lift the other foot and leg as high as you can like you are kicking your foot up toward your head. Don't bend your knee as you bring your foot and leg up as far as you can. As you bring your foot back down to the starting position, begin to raise the other foot and leg up in a controlled manner. Continue until the desired number of repetitions have been completed for each leg or the desired amout of time is completed. Take care that this exercise does not aggrivate your lower back.

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 Just click the Play button to see the exercise demonstrated

 
Scissor Kicks are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
Scissor Kicks are a great exercise for the Kids. It can be a very difficult exercise and may take a while before Kids can do the exercise effectively for more than a few repetitons. Keep doing this exercise regularly and you will be amazed at the progress.

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In & Outs

 
In & Outs indirectly work the abdominal muscles. Your hip flexors are the primary movers of your legs. Begin by having a seat on either the floor or a bench. This exercise requires that you balance on your butt while you are in the seated position. You will lift your legs off the ground while you lean back slightly to balance yourself. Extend your legs out as far as you can while you open your arm out to your sides. Tuck your knees into your chest keeping your feet off the floor while you wrap your hands around you legs touching your finger tips together. Begin the next repetition by extending your legs out again.

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In & Outs are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
In & Outs are a great exercise for the Kids. It can be a very difficult exercise and may take a while before Kids can do the exercise effectively for more than a few repetitons. Keep doing this exercise regularly and you will be amazed at the progress.

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Hanging Leg Raises

 
Hanging Leg Raises are done by either hanging from your hands or proping yourself up on your elbows as you hang from a device specially made for Hanging Leg Raises. Either way, you will be hanging high enough that you legs will not be able to touch the ground. This exercise works the abdominal muscles indirectly as the hip flexors are the primary mover of you legs. Begin by pulling the knees up toward the chest. You can bend the knees or keep your legs straight out in front of you. Continue up as far as you can. Return back to the beginning hanging position in a controlled manner. Begin the next repetition by bringing the legs up again.

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Hanging Leg Raises are a Great Exercise for the Kids
 

 
Hanging Leg Raises are a Great Exercise for the Kids. They may have a little trouble hanging from their hands. If this is the case and the option to use the aparatus that allows them to prop themselves up on their elbows while their leg hang below them is a good idea. If not, continued practice of hanging their bodyweight from their hands is a good challenge and they will show improvement quickly.

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Dumbbell Side Bends

 
Dumbbell Side Bends are primarily for the Oblique Muscles. Begin by selecting one dumbbell. If you have never done this exercise before, choose a light weight to begin as this exercise can make your sides very sore. Holding the dumbbell in one hand at you side, standing upright, chest out, shoulders back begin to lower the dumbbell toward the floor. This will cause you to lean to one side. If you are holding the dumbbell in your left hand, you will be leaning to the left side. Continue down until you feel a good stretch on the opposite side. Come back to the upright position in a controlled manner. You may go past upright and lean slightly to the other side if you like, to work that oblique a little harder. Begin the next repetition by lower the dumbbell toward the floor and stretching your opposite side.

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Dumbbell Side Bends are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
Dumbbell Side Bends are a gread Oblique Exercise for the Kids. Proper form may be a challenge for Kids at first but over time they will get the hang of this exercise. Telling them to "Tip over" may be a helpful cue. Make sure they exercise in a very controlled manner so as not to hurt themselves.

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*Plank

 
Plank Demo

The Plank is an overall Core Exercise that can be done a variety of ways. Facing the ground, hold yourself up with your elbows and either your knees or toes. Easiest planks are on the knees and elbows. Planks become more difficult as we get off the knees and come up to the toes as shown in the demo to the right. Make sure when you are in the plank position you are keeping your back straight. Don't allow you butt to sway or droop toward the ground and don't allow your butt to stick up either. Difficulty can be increased by raising one foot off the ground and/or pushing the elbows further forward. You may also raise a leg or arm for added difficulty. Hold your plank for a specified amount of time according to your capabilities.

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 Just click the Play button to see the exercise demonstrated

 
Planks are a Great Exercise for Kids

 
Make sure Kids use good form when doing Planks so that they do not experience any lower back injuries.

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Side Plank

 
The Side Plank is an overall Core Exercise emphasizing the Obliques. Like the Plank, you will be on the Elbows and Knees or Feet. The only difference is that you will be on your side. Lying on one side with your elbow proping yourself up, raise your hips up off the ground so that you will be balancing on your elbow and either the side of your knees or feet. It is more difficult to raise up to your feet. You can either hold this pose with your hips off the ground for an allotted time or you can lower your hips back toward the floor and do repetitions as you raise and lower yourself. Do the same amount of time or repetition on the other side.

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Side Planks are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
Make sure Kids use good form when doing Planks so that they do not experience any lower back injuries.

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Sit-ups

 
Sit-ups have been around forever. This used to be the tried and true way of working the Abs. Turns out that Sit-Ups don't always focus on the Abs. A good amount of emphasis is also placed on the Hip Flexors. Begin by either lying on your back or having a seat on a Sit-Up Bench. If you are lying on your back on the floor, you can choose to anchor your feet or not. You can place your hands on your abs, out in front of you or behind your head. If your hands are behind your head, make sure you do not pull on the neck as this can cause neck injury. Lying on your back, contract your abs and flex at the hips as you raise your upper body off the floor or bench. Continue upward as far as you can. Go all the way to your upper thigh/knee area if possible. Lower back down in a controlled manner. Stop short of allowing your back to come back in contact with the floor or bench and start up again for the next repetition.

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Sit-ups are a Great Exercise for the Kids

Make sure Kids do Sit-Ups in a controlled manner always using good form so they do not sustain any lower back injuries.

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Supermans

 
Supermans are a Lower Back Exercise. Begin by lying face down on either a bench or the floor. Raise you hands up to either your ears or over your head with your elbows off the floor. Raise you head and shoulders off the floor along with your feet, knees and upper thighs if you can. Only your abdominal area will be on the floor. You can hold this exercise for a specific time or lower back down to the lying face down, starting position and continue to do repetitions by raising up and lower back down.

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Supermans are a Great Exercise For the Kids

 
Make sure Kids do Supermans with good form so they do not hurt their lower back. This is a great exercise for them to strenghten that growing lower back.

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Hyperextensions

 
Hyperextensions are done on an aparatus that you lean forward over. Generally this piece of equipment is called either Hyperextensions or Lower Back. The back of your legs and feet will be held by this piece of equipment while you lean over the front of another pad that will catch you at about waist/hip high. If the machine adjusts, make sure this pad comfortably fits right at the very top of your thigh/hip area. Begin allowing your upper body to lower toward the floor in a controlled manner. Continue until your upper body is hanging straight down if you can. Begin the upward part of the exercise by flexing the lower back muscles and raising the upper body. Continue upward as high as you can, all the way until your body is no longer flexed at the hips and is straight if possible. Beging the next repetition by lowering yourself back down in a controlled manner.

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Hyperextensions are a Great Exercise for the Kids

 
Hyperextensions are a great exercise for the Kids. This is a great exercise for strengthening their growing lower backs and they will generally like it because it is moving their whole upper body. Make sure they are doing the exercise in controlled manner.

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