Amazing Abs in April-Day 4

This day I am using a large exercise ball.  If you don't have one, you can closely mimic a couple exercises with your feel on the cushion of your couch. You can just repeat the ones you are able to do without the equipment.

Ball Knee Tucks-Starting Position-Picture 1

Starting Position:
         1.  Feet together on top of the ball.  The closer the ball is to the core the easier it is
         2.  Hands directly under your shoulders
         3.  Body in one long line-Plank position
         4.  Abdominals compressed
         5.  Shoulder blades sliding down towards back pockets
         6.  Glutes engaged to help stabilize
         INHALE-Hold plank
         EXHALE-Initiate movement from abs, Lift with abdominals and simultaneously pull in knees
         INHALE-Roll back to full plank position
         REPEAT exercise 30 seconds

Focus of Exercise:  To utilize core in both a stability and flexion manner while also utilizing shoulder stability, and hip flexors and glutes

Tips:
         1.  Keep shoulder blades pulling down to your back pockets the entire time
         2.  Keep shoulders as square as possible and stacked above hands
         3.  Use core to maintain plank and then to initiate movement
         4.  Use glutes to help stabilize on ball
         5.  Keep head and neck level
         6.  Spread fingers wide to help distribute weight.  If you can't fold your wrists, hold weights in your hands and keep your wrist neutral.

Stop:
         1.  Avoid rocking or shifting weight forward over shoulders
         2.  Avoid piking or lifting with hips first which will encourage hip flexors  firing over abs
         3.  Avoid excessive movement of head and neck
         4.  Avoid dropping into low back when you roll back in to a plank position
         5.  Don't let your shoulders slide up to your ears.

Ball Knee Tuck- Pull knees and simultaneously lift and crunch abs-Picture 2

                                          

Ball Scoops-Starting Position-Picture 1

Starting Position:

         1.  Feet together on top of the ball.  The closer the ball is to the core the easier it is

         2.  Hands directly under your shoulders
         3.  Body in one long line-Plank position
         4.  Abdominals compressed
         5.  Shoulder blades sliding down towards belt line
         6.  Glutes engaged to help stabilize
         INHALE-Hold plank
         EXHALE-Initiate movement from abs, Lift with abdominals and nothing else, movement is very minimal but very effective.  It is a crunch against gravity

         REPEAT exercise 30 seconds  You can play with tempo on this one.  Do first set slow and the second one fast, etc.

Focus of Exercise:   To utilize core in both a stability and flexion manner while also utilizing shoulder stability, and hip flexors and glutes

Tips:

         1.  Keep shoulder blades pulling down to your back pockets the entire time

         2.  Keep shoulders as square as possible and stacked above hands
         3.  Use core to maintain plank and then to initiate movement.  Visualize that you can only lift with the core section between your hip bones and your rib cage.
         4.  Use glutes to help stabilize on ball
         5.  Keep head and neck level
         6.  Spread fingers wide to help distribute weight.  If you can't fold your wrists, hold weights in your hands and keep your wrist neutral.
         7.  Movement is very minimal.  Ball hardly moves

Stop:

         1.  Avoid rocking or shifting weight forward over shoulders

         2.  Avoid rounding at shoulder only.

         2.  Avoid piking or lifting with hips.  Isolate your core
         3.  Avoid excessive movement of head and neck
         4.  Avoid dropping into low back
         5.  Don't let your shoulders slide up to your ears.

Ball Scoops-Lift only with midsection-Picture 2

Ball Split Rolls-Starting Position-Picture 1

Starting Position:

         1.  Feet split slightly off sides of the ball.  You need to be able to to be on the top half of the ball to allow more movement but also legs low enough for the legs to be able to squeeze the ball.    The closer the ball is to core the easier it is         2.  Hands directly under your shoulders
         3.  Body in one long line-Plank position with feet apart
         4.  Abdominals compressed
         5.  Shoulder blades sliding down towards back pocket
         6.  Glutes engaged to help stabilize
         7.  Adductors-(Inner thigh) engaged and squeezing the ball
         INHALE-Initiate movement from abs and not dropping leg to roll the ball, twist lower body to one side
         EXHALE-Twist lower body back to starting plank position
         INHALE-Twist lower body to other side

         REPEAT exercise 30 seconds 

Focus of exercise:

Tips:

         1.  Think of rotation coming from abs, think of lifting second hip and not dropping first hip

         2.  Keep shoulder blades pulling down to your back pockets the entire time

         3.  Keep shoulders as square as possible and stacked above hands
         4.  Use core to maintain plank and then to initiate movement.
         5.  Use glutes to help stabilize on ball
         6.  Keep head and neck level
         7.  Spread fingers wide to help distribute weight.  If you can't fold your wrists, hold weights in your hands and keep your wrist neutral.
         8.  Keep your body in a long line
         9.  Engage adductors to squeeze the ball and help fire deep abdominals
Stop:
         1.   Don't let the momentum of the ball rolling side to side do your work
         2.   Avoid dropping hips to initiate movement
         3.  Avoid bending arms
         4.  Avoid shifting weight forward putting a lot of extra load on shoulders

Ball Split Rolls-Twist lower body to one side while shoulders stay square-Picture 2

Ball Split Rolls-Twisting slowly to other side-Picture 3