Ab Rollers / Ab Trainers

Ab rollers / Ab trainers are effective in supporting your neck and lower back while toning your abdominal muscles.  There are various abdominal exercises which can be done with an ab roller / ab trainer.  Some of the effective exercises that can be performed to help you obtain that "6-pack" are as follows:

• Basic Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame, with your feet flat on the floor and with your head against the ab roller pad.  Using your abdominal muscles, raise your shoulders up to about 45° and then lower them back down to the mat.
• Oblique Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame, with your feet flat on the floor and with your head against the ab roller pad..  Drop your legs over to one side and raise your shoulders up to about 45° and then lower them back down to the mat.  Repeat with your legs lowered to the other side.
• Raised Knee Crunch and Oblique - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame, with your feet flat on the floor and with your head against the ab roller pad. Keeping your knees together and back flat, curl your legs up (and to the side for obligue) with your thighs at a 90° angle to your back.  Raise your shoulders to about 45° and then lower them back down to the mat.
• Raised Straight Leg Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame and with your head against the ab roller pad.  Keeping your legs together, raise your legs straight in the air.  Then raise your shoulders to about 45° and then lower them back down to the mat
• Bicycle Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame and with your head against the ab roller pad. Lift your legs and peddle them while simultaneously raising your shoulders to about 45° and then lowering them back down to the mat.
• Double Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame, with your feet flat on the floor and with your head against the ab roller pad.  With your knees bent, lift your thighs to a 90° angle to your back.  Start with this position and raise your shoulders to about 45° while simultaneously moving your knees toward your chest.  Then lower your back to the mat and return your legs to the 90° starting position.
• Scissor Crunch - lie on a mat with your hands on the frame and with your head against the ab roller pad.  With your legs straight out,  raise your shoulders to about 45° while simultaneously crossing one leg over the other.  Alternate this motion with the left and right leg, while raising and lowering your shoulders.