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Start Position
Position a Swiss ball in front of something sturdy you can hold onto, like a
power rack, a Smith Machine, or a very heavy-duty exercise bench. Position the
Swiss ball a couple of feet in front of whatever you're going to hold onto, then
sit down on the Swiss ball, take a step forward with your right foot, a step
forward with your left foot and lie back. Then, extend your arms behind your
head and grasp whatever you're going to use to anchor your body. Make sure your
hips and shoulders are positioned on the Swiss ball, and that you're not too far
back or too far forward. Bend your knees a bit and slightly point your toes.
The Movement
Take a deep breath and begin contracting your lower abs, lifting your legs, and
curling your hips up toward your shoulders. Be sure to keep your neck in a
relaxed position with your vision focused upward toward the ceiling. Continue to
slowly raise your legs until your toes are pointed straight up, with your legs
at a 90-degree angle. Then, very slowly, lower your legs to the starting
position. The slower you lower your legs on this exercise, the better.
Once you've reached the starting position, take a deep breath, get your balance, and lift those legs again.
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This is an absolutely outstanding exercise for Region 2, the lower abs! Like
most Swiss ball exercises, it allows you to work through a greater range of
motion, activate more muscle fibers, and is very intense when performed
properly.
The Swiss ball will have a tendency to roll just slightly to the left and right, forward
and back. Every time it does, you'll feel a different area of the muscles in
your midsection contracting to help you catch your balance. This is a good
thing! However, if you simply swing your legs up and down, you may lose your
balance and fall off! So please, go slow, especially when you're lowering your
legs. And, hold on tight with your hands to something sturdy.
I do not recommend you do this exercise with additional weight. (I've seen some people at the gym doing it with
a dumbbell between their feet.) This just isn't necessary. If you learn to
contract the abdominal muscles intensely, you'll get all the work you need
without putting a weight between your feet, which, in actuality, only makes the
hip flexors and lower back more involved in this exercise.
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The morning after you do this exercise, your lower abs may be so sore that you
are compelled to send me a nasty note, rich with colorful expletives. If so, I
can be reached at www.BestABS.com
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