Reverse Crunches
The movement of reverse crunches is similar to that of hip raises except the range of motion is shorter. Begin in a standard crunch position with your thighs perpendicular to the ground and your shoulders raised off of the mat. Perform the movement by rotating your legs up toward your chest.
Feel the effort in your lower abs as you raise your legs, then return to the starting position. Keep the range of motion short and perform the movement slowly to get the best results. You don't want to be swinging your hips upward during this exercise; just crunching your lower abs under your own control, without using momentum. For a more advanced version of this exercise, try doing the movement on an exercise ball. Difficulty Rating: 1 Variation on Exercise Ball
A very challenging exercise, this movement is a great test of lower abdominal strength. Begin by positioning a chair behind an exercise ball. You will be grabbing the back of the chair for balance and support so you will want to weigh it down by placing a dumbbell or anything heavy on the seat. Position yourself so that your lower back is resting on the exercise ball, then perform the movement just as described above. It will take a while to get used to this movement, so focus on maintaining your balance as you bring your legs toward your chest the first few times you try this. Difficulty Rating: 3
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