This exercise strengthens all of your abdominal muscles, especially your obliques.  It will help minimize “love handles” and that lower abdominal “pooch”, not to mention improves your posture and core strength, which enhances almost any activity.  Adding weight to this classic reverse curl will help overload your abs and make training your mid-section more effective, efficient and challenging.  The muscles worked are the rectus abdominis, external obliques, internal obliques, and transverse abdominis.

• Lie face up on floor, grasping a sturdy object (such as the base of a weight bench) behind your head with both hands to stabilize your body, elbows slightly bent.  Place a medicine ball between your knees.
• Grip the medicine ball firmly with knees to hold it in place and bend knees so they’re aligned with hips, feet lifted and calves parallel to floor.
• Contract abs (draw in), bringing your lower ribs and hips toward each other so spine is in a neutral position, your back in contact with the floor and buttocks relaxed.
• Maintain leg position, and then use abdominals to curl hips a few inches off the floor.
• Pause, then slowly lower your hips and repeat.
• Don’t arch your back or drop your legs toward the floor as you return to starting position; this places pressure on the discs in your lower back.
• Do this move 3-4 times a week as part of a regular strength program.  Use 2 to 6 pound medicine ball and perform 2-3 sets of 15 – 30 repetitions, resting 1 minute between sets.  After a few weeks when you feel ready, progress to advanced tip.

Advanced Tip:  For more of a challenge, use a heavier medicine ball or perform the same move on a balance tool such as a Bosu or dyna disc. 

Tips on Form: Focus on curling your hips up off the floor, this will force your abdominals to do all the work rather than allowing other muscles to assist.  Don’t use momentum to throw your legs up toward your shoulders; this is an ineffective way to train your abs and it places stress on your back and neck.  Don’t use a medicine ball that’s so heavy you can’t lift hips off floor, this can potentially strain back muscles.

No responsibility or liability is accepted by Shawn Ferrando Studio Fitness for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of adopting the exercises and information in this material.