How to Do a Supine Oblique Crunch

The supine oblique crunch targets the muscles of the waist. It is a great exercise to help tone the waist and those pesky "love handles." While incorporating aerobic exercise into your daily routine is the only effective way to lose excess weight, you can enhance you weight loss results by doing exercises that tone and strengthen the core muscles. As you lose the weight during your aerobic workouts you will begin to see your waist and abdominal muscles become more defined. Also keeping these muscles strong is an important part of managing and preventing chronic back pain. So to really get those "love handles" off, participate in aerobic exercise four to five days per week and then add this oblique crunch into your strength training routine.

Instructions

1. Lie on your back with the knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. Place your fingertips behind your head lightly. Do not clasp your hands behind your head. Clasping the hands often leads to a tendency to pull on the neck.

2. Bring both knees to one side. The further you bring your knees to the floor, the more challenging this exercise is. If your back is sensitive just lower your knees slightly at first until your muscles become stronger.

3. On the exhale lift your head, neck and shoulder blades up off the floor. You do not need to lift up high. Just come up a few inches and stop when you feel your waist muscles contract. Coming up further does not isolate the muscles as well.

4. The common mistake is to round up bringing the head towards the knees. To really make this exercise effective, lift straight up as if lifting your chin to the ceiling. It also helps to keep the elbows way back and open.

5. On the inhale slowly lower back down with control.

6. Do three sets of eight to twelve repetitions on both sides. Focus on tightening the abdominal and waist muscles and letting these muscles lift you up versus pulling on the head or neck.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results lift straight up, not forward, and keep the elbows back and open.

• If this exercise causes neck pain stop and check your form. Focus on tightening the core muscles to help you lift up and do not lift up as high. This is a small isolated movement, not a huge sit up.

• If you still experience neck pain, have a trainer watch you to correct your form.

• Use caution with this exercise if you have any back injuries.