Scissor Exercise for the Beach

Video Transcript

"The next exercise is called the scissor. Now, I call it the scissor, there's several different names. It's more of a Pilates style type of abdominal exercise, and I only recommend it for advanced exercisers. It takes quite a bit of abdominal strength and lower back strength. I'm going to start back on the floor. You're going to straighten your legs. You do not have to completely lock out your knees. Abs are tight. From here, hands are at your temples. You're going to reach toward your opposite foot. Now I recommend that you reach toward your opposite foot and you reach toward the side of that foot so you also maintain that torso rotation. As you do that, your other leg comes down toward the ground. Do not lower it all the way toward the ground, do not let it touch the ground for that's very straining on the lower back. So we're reaching up toward our opposite foot, keeping those abs tight, and then switching. Keep your knees slightly bent. Abs should be very, very tight, taut. You can also do this, I'll show you a little bit of a variation. You can just reach up toward your knees bringing the shoulder blades off the floor, hold tight and switch. Switch. That's a little bit more Pilates style type scissor. Now if you are very tight in the hamstrings, you won't be able to straighten your legs like I just did, so you can keep your knees a little bit more bent. Also, if you have any lower back pain, difficulties or if you've had a lower back surgery, I do not recommend that you do this exercise. However, it is an advanced exercise and it is wonderful for working the rectus abdominis and the obliques."