FINISH
START
Muscles worked: This exercise involves most
of the trunk and deep spinal muscles. It does
not “spot reduce” or eliminate “love handles.”
It should be noted that rotation is more limit-
ed in the spine than most people realize and
should be performed with minimal resistance,
and always in proper erect alignment.
Bench Position: Flat Bench
Accessory Used: Hand Grips
Starting position:
• Sitting sideways on the bench with one side
facing the Power Rods, grasp the hand grip
closest to you with both hands.
• Raise both arms up to chest level, centered
in front of the sternum (breast bone).
• Keep both elbows slightly straight.
• Lift your chest, pinch your shoulder blades
together, tighten your abs and maintain a
very slight arch in your lower back.
Motion:
• Tighten your entire abdominal area and
slowly rotate your rib cage/arms away from
the cables (30-40 degrees), as if your were
rotating with a rod through the middle of
your spine.
• Rotate past midline as far as can be per-
formed slowly and comfortably.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
Key points:
• This is an important exercise, yet it can
become high risk if done incorrectly. Keep
your chest lifted and always maintain your
spine in good alignment with a very slight
arch in your lower back.
• Keep your hands centered in front of the
middle of your chest (sternum) and your
shoulder blades
“
pinched” together. Insure
that all of your motion occurs in the torso.
• Remember, more range of motion is not nec-
essarily better, especially in this exercise.
Move only as far as your muscles will take
you. Try to eliminate uncontrolled momen-
tum.
• Caution — Do not use heavy resistance for
this exercise. Pick a weight that allows you
to perform at least 12-15 reps.
• This exercise will NOT spot-reduce fat!
TRUNK ROTATION
FINISH
START
Muscles worked: This exercise works your
entire abdominal area including your upper
and lower front abs (rectus abdominus) and
your side abs (obliques).
Bench Position: Flat Bench
Accessory Used: None
Starting position:
• Lie on your back with your head toward the
Power Rods.
• Bend your knees fully.
• The amount of bend at the hips based on
desired difficulty. Beginners should be fully
bent, bringing the legs near the abs. As
strength improves the legs can be positioned
farther away. DETERMINE THESE POSI-
TIONS AND MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT
THE EXERCISE.
• Reach overhead grasp either the bench, or
the metal frame, with each hand.
• Relax your neck.
Motion:
• Tighten your abs and slowly curl your hips
toward your rib cage. Move as far as you can
without using your legs to get momentum
and do not curl up onto your shoulder
blades.
• Slowly reverse the motion returning to the
starting position without relaxing.
Key points:
• Tighten your abs before you move.
• Keep knees and hips stationary.
• Allow exhalation up and inhalation down
without exaggerating breathing.
• Contract as far into the movement as possi-
ble. Lower under control. Keep abs tight
during the entire motion.
• This exercise will NOT spot-reduce fat!
REVERSE CRUNCH — Spinal Flexion
37
Abdominal Exercises
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