Abs

Toe Touch Crunches

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Toe Touch Crunches

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.  Raise your legs up with feet flexed.  Reach your hands up and touch your toes.  Slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor, keeping your legs raised.  Repeat. Before performing any abdominal exercises, make sure to check your abdominal muscles for separation [...]

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Side Plank with Modification

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Side Plank with Modification

Lie on your left side with feet extended, right foot stacked on top of the left.  Bend your left elbow and place it directly beneath your left shoulder.  Engaging abdominal muscles, lift your hips and knees off the mat.  Hold as long as possible, then gently lower.  Switch and repeat on opposite side.  Modified version: [...]

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Bicycle Crunches

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Bicycle Crunches

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the ground and hands behind your head. Engage your abdominal muscles and slowly lift your feet off the ground until your knees are bent at 90 degrees. Contract your abs as you raise your head and shoulders off the ground. Bring your left elbow toward [...]

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Reverse Crunches

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Reverse Crunches

Lie on your back with knees bent, and extend arms down your sides with fingers pointing toward your toes.  Gently exhale and stabilize your core muscles.  Cross your legs at the ankles and slowly bring your legs back and up “crunching” your abdominal muscles.  Inhale and slowly lower legs to starting position.  Repeat. Before performing [...]

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Crunches

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Crunches

Lie on your back with knees bent.  Looking up to the sky, bring your head and shoulders off the ground to contract your abdominal muscles.  Do not pull on your head or strain your neck.  Lower back to the ground and repeat 15 times. Before performing any abdominal exercises, make sure to check your abdominal [...]

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Checking for Diastasis

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Checking for Diastasis

Before performing any abdominal exercises, all moms should check for abdominal separation (diastasis recti).  Abdominal weakness, hormonal changes, pregnancy, c-sections can all cause this separation.  If you do traditional abdominal exercises (such as crunches) with a separation, those exercises will only make the diastasis worse.  To do a self-check, lie on your back with your [...]

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Plank

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Plank

From a push up position, rest your weight on your forearms instead of your hands.  Form a straight line with your body from your shoulders to your ankles.  Hold yourself in this position by keeping your core tight and bellybutton drawn in.  Hold for 30 seconds.  Work up to holding the plank for 60 seconds [...]

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Prone Iso Abs

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Prone Iso Abs

On hands and knees, without straining your neck (I should probably be looking down in this photo), pull your bellybutton up towards your spine.  Hold and release.  Repeat 15 times.

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Iso Abs

March 1, 2010
Inspired RD Exercise Library: Iso Abs

This exercise is designed to teach you how to use your core muscles correctly. Lying on your back with your legs bent and feet flat, place your hands over your bellybutton. Breathe normally, and as you exhale, bring your bellybutton towards your spine and hold it. Don’t allow any other part of your body to [...]

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