Sustained abdominal muscle hold, Ab Crunch

Note: If you are viewing exercise videos on a mobile device, please switch to horizontal view for the best experience.

For many people it is the abdominal muscles which are of most concern as they look to tone their stomach and reduce their “belly fat”. There are a number of very simple exercises which will help to burn fat in the abdominal muscle area and tone the abdominal muscles themselves. One basic exercise called the sustained ab muscle hold (or ab crunch) involves lying flat on the floor (preferably using a fitness mat) and lifting your knees 3 to 4 inches above the ground.

Now place your hands behind the back of your head, thumbs behind your ears while ensuring your hands are not clasped together. For those with a neck issues this helps to support the neck. Then you simply raise your shoulders off the ground, count to 2 and then move back down towards the floor ensuring that your shoulders do not touch the floor or the mat, counting to 2 and then raising your shoulders back off the floor, etc. Repeating this exercise places sustained pressure on the abdominal muscles thereby leading to a toned stomach.