The Body Sculpting Bible for Women (111 page)

Hold at the top position for a second or two before returning to a point where your shoulders do not quite touch the floor.

Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

VARIATION

Incline Board Partial Sit-Up

This exercise can be hard on the lower back, so avoid it if you have an unhealthy back. Avoid performing this exercise by swinging your torso as this leads to injury. Varying the angle of this exercise by choosing smaller or steeper inclines can increase or decrease the difficulty. Beginners should always start with no angle. As you become more advanced, weight can be added by holding a plate to your chest.

PROPER ALIGNMENT

Set the abdominal board to an incline. The more advanced you are, the steeper the incline you should choose.

Hook your feet under the foot brace provided and lie on it with your hands crossed on top of your chest or kept alongside your body.

Keep your head straight and your eyes looking ahead.

TECHNIQUE AND FORM

Exhale and raise your torso from the bench by bending at the waist and hips until you achieve a 30-degree angle between the torso and the bench.

Slowly return to the starting position as you inhale.

Ab Bench Crunch

For this exercise you will need a bench created by Ironman called the Ab Bench. it has a rounded back that allows for a full stretch of abdominals. As always, be very careful when adding weight to this exercise: if you add too much too quickly you could injure yourself.