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Oblique Crunch
Work your lower abdominals with this exercise that will flatten your stomach.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Position your knees about 6 inches apart.
2) Lifting your back off the floor about 6 to 8 inches, reach your hands to the right side for 3 seconds. Rest.
3) Now, reach to the left side.
4) Repeat, doing 10 reps. Build to 25 reps.
If your neck hurts, hold it with your hands, with elbows bent. Keep arms open, not crunched at the ears.
Stomach Crunch
Here's the classic, performed by athletes for centuries.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your hands behind your head, elbows bent and open to the ceiling.
2) With legs bent at the knees and feet firmly on the floor, sink the small of your back into the floor and raise up, so that your shoulders leave the floor.
3) Repeat for 25 reps. Build to 100 reps.
Raised Leg Crunch
This exercise has cardiovascular benefits in addition to strengthening your abs.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your right leg fully extended. Your left leg should be bent at the knee, foot on the floor.
2) Place your hands behind your head with elbows bent, taking care to keep your elbows open to the ceiling.
3) Lift your head slightly off the floor while lifting your right leg 2 feet off the floor. Keep your leg straight as you lift.
4) Repeat for 10 reps. Then switch legs. Build to 25 repetitions.
Toe-Touch Crunch
Work your abs and strengthen your thighs with this exercise.
Directions:
1) Lie on your back with your arms extended behind your head and knees bent, with toes touching the floor.
2) Keeping your right knee bent, lift it while bringing your left arm up and out to touch the right toe.
3) Alternate, bringing right arm up to touch left toe.
4) Keep the non-moving leg firmly on the floor.
5) Repeat for 10 reps; build to 25 reps.
Tip: If your neck hurts, modify the exercise by holding your head with your hands and lifting it up towards the ceiling for each repetition. Continue to alternate legs.
LOWER BODY
Inner Thigh Leg Lift
This exercise tightens the adductors, the inner thigh muscles. The stretch is also good for your body overall.
Directions:
1) Lie on the floor on your left side, making sure that your head, shoulders and hips are all aligned. Prop up your head with your left hand and place your other hand, relaxed, in front of you for support.
2) Bend your right leg and place it on the floor in front of you.
3) Slowly raise your left leg off the floor about 8-10 inches (higher as you get stronger). Try to keep the leg straight, toes flexed.
4) Pause at the top of the movement and hold, then lower your leg back to the floor.
5) Do 8-12 lifts on the left leg. Then relax and do another set.
6) Turn onto the other side and repeat for two sets with right leg lifts.
Leg Lift
This easy exercise will get you started on a great butt-tightening regimen.
Directions:
1) Find a sturdy chair and position it in front of you, with your hands holding the top of the chair back.
2) While standing straight, lift your right leg back behind you, keeping the leg straight. Then bring the leg back to the floor.
3) Repeat with your right leg for 10 repetitions. Then continue with your left leg.
4) After one repetition on each side, do another full set. Build to 5 reps of 10 on each leg.
Variation: To build stronger thighs, too, bend your knees slightly while doing this exercise.
Plies
Here's a dancer's exercise that strengthens both your buttocks and the tops of your thighs.
Directions:
1) Stand straight, with legs about 18 inches apart. Squat down, then rise, returning to a full standing position.
2) Keep your knees positioned directly over your feet; try to keep them from falling to the center.
3) Keep your heels squarely on the floor and keep your buttocks firmly tucked under you with your back straight and perpendicular to the floor.
4) Repeat for 10 repetitions, building to 50 reps.
TIP: For a deeper workout, squat all the way to the floor; your heels will leave the floor.
Squats
This exercise starts out easy, but you'll feel the strength you're building as you add reps.
Directions:
1) Stand straight, with legs about a foot apart.
2) Bring arms forward straight out in front of you as you squat.
3) Keep buttocks tucked underneath you and feet firmly on floot.
4) Repeat for 10 reps, building to 50 reps.
Tip: As you build endurance, try to deepen your squats.
