Focus on pushing your lower back into the ball and using your abs pull your shoulders up. They are part of what is known as your core.So there I was, a gangly, ungainly guy standing in a giant aerobics studio surrounded by mirrors. What really made it difficult for me to position myself correctly on the ball was the fact the I was laughing hysterically. At the top of the crunch. Aim for about three sets of fifty and go from there. This is due in part to my rather uncoordinated nature, and yes I am a horrible dancer. Your core is what keeps you stable when standing, allows your body to twist at the waist, rise after bending over, and remain, well, upright.

For the average person, getting setup on the ball, in proper position for crunches, is a relatively easy affair.

The thing about your abs is that unlike other muscle groups they can take a lot. Crunches require very little motion. Next to me on the floor was a fitness ball. It is here that I would like to point out that you need not do this. I smiled as I recalled my impressive display of abdominal endurance. Think about your leg muscles for a second. Crunched until I simply could crunch no more. None the less, there I was. Abs are the other way around. What is really different about abs is that they bulge in their relaxed state and are stretched thin when flexed. It's really a simple and effective exercise. It's like slouching in a chair that has no back. When you work your abs, it takes a lot to get them going.

Abs are largely responsible for holding you up. Place your hands on your temples with your elbows out.

Getting myself on to the fitness ball was an exercise in patients. For those of you who don't know what a crunch is, a crunch is like doing a sit up without actually sitting up.

 

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I finally nailed the proper setup and once the laughter subsided, I was ready to start. Hold it for a two count Carbon Steel Ball and slowly let yourself back down slowly without disengaging your abs. Defined abs are a sought after symbol of good health and fine physique. It merely involves resting your hips and lower back on the ball while planting your feet squarely on the floor. Like all exercises, form is critical. I was wrong. I had never used a fitness ball, in fact I had never even heard of a fitness ball.

In my case, now firmly set up on the ball, I went at the crunches with gusto. Having never used one before, it was awkward and it felt really odd. Repeat. You should work your abs in sets as with any other muscle baring in mind that you should do more then your average set. In fact, the whole motion of a crunch is to keep your abs constantly flexed. I had always thought that crunches were like doing push ups on you knees – a bit of a cop out. My work out partner, in far better shape then I, was going to show me how to use the ball to make my ab routine more excruciatingly effective.

In my case, I woke up the next day smiling to myself about the difficulty I had getting used to the fitness ball, after all, it really was easy once I got the hang of it. Being in the aerobics studio surrounded by mirrors, gave me multiple angles from which to watch my floundering. In very real terms, you should only be raising your shoulders up about four inches. To begin, lean back as far as your balance allows. Like I said, really no big deal – unless your me. While there are other muscle groups involved with your core, abs have a special place in the eyes of the world.

 

The whole premise of this heightened routine was to center around the crunch. I smiled, and smiled right up until the time I tried to sit up. Your quads bulge when you flex them

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