Transfer Crunch
Description
The transfer crunch - which is one of the better swiss ball exercises - is an excellent way to strengthen the abdominal region. Due to the great deal of flexibility, coordination and abdominal strength required for each repetition, beginners often find the movement difficult to perform. Therefore, this movement is best suited for more experienced trainees.
Execution
- While lying with your back to the mat, extend the arms overhead while firmly gripping the sides of an exercise ball.
- Exhale, crunch upwards and draw the extended arms and feet towards each other.
- Place the exercise ball between your feet, inhale and while keeping your arms and legs straight, lower them back down to starting position at a controlled speed.
Tip: Do not allow the exercise ball or feet to make contact with the ground.. Doing so will keep the tension on the abdominal region. - Repeat the movement only this time, the sequence is reversed. You’ll be passing the ball from your feet to your hands.
- Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Replacing the exercise ball with a smaller, yet heavier medicine ball will increase the both the resistance and range of motion of the exercise, thus increasing the difficulty. (Transitioning the ball from your hands to your feet is a little trickier using this method.)
Decline Crunches
Description
Decline crunches are a great exercise to tone the abdominal region. Decline crunches are slightly more difficult than the traditional versions in which the crunch is performed on a flat surface. Other great benefits associated with decline crunches are all the variations that can be utilized to make the exercise either easier or more difficult. More detail on implementing these techniques can be found below.
Note: Before performing decline crunches, you want to make sure that you perform an “abdominal set”. Check out our abdominal training article for more information.
Execution
- Hook feet under the pads and set the abdominal muscles by drawing the navel towards the spine and slightly rotating the pelvis forward.
- Inhale and at a controlled speed, lower yourself down to an angle that is comfortable, yet stresses the abdominal region. You may find that if you lower yourself down too far, back pain will ensue.
- Exhale and crunch upwards bringing the elbows to the knees. Briefly hold this finishing position.
- Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.
Variations
Getting your partner to wrap a towel around the upper chest and pull down slightly will add resistance and increase the difficulty.
Difficulty can also be increased by holding a weight in hands with arms extended at a 45degree angle.
Slightly easier than holding the weight at a 45 degree angle would be to hold the weight across the chest.
Rotating and drawing your elbow to its opposing knee will effectively recruit the oblique muscles.