Define Your Abs
Switch to this exercise for faster results.
by Craig Ballantyne, C.S.C.S.
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YOU'VE BEEN DOING:
Weighted crunches
SWITCH TO:
Kneeling cable crunches
HERE'S WHY
While there's nothing wrong with a weighted crunch, per se, holding a plate on your chest or behind your head can be uncomfortable and cumbersome. And the stronger you get, the harder it is to add weight without risking a crushed rib cage or strained neck. That's why it's time you switch to the kneeling cable crunch. Using a cable station allows you to add weight with the pull of a pin, and the constant tension you get from the cable means your ab muscles must work hard at every point in the exercise's range of motion-making it a more effective move than the crunch.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO
Attach a rope handle to the pulley of a cable station and get down on your knees a few feet in front of the station. Keeping your weight on your knees and shins, let the cable pull on your arms and torso so that you feel a light stretch in your abdominal muscles [1]. From there, crunch your body, bringing your forearms down to your knees and your head to the floor [2]. Slowly return to the starting position. That's one rep.
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