Move of the Month – Prep Ab and Twist

With the prep ab and twist exercises, you may be lying down, but you won’t be relaxing. This exercise is great for several parts of the body, whilst toning your abdominal muscles and helping with important bodily functions such as pelvic stability.

This is an effective way of using spinal flexion to increase the strength of your hips and lower spine, and is an exercise that a lot of specialists will recommend for treating back pain. You’ll feel this one in your lower back and entire abdominal wall.

1. To begin, lie on your back with your fingers intertwined and your hands placed behind your head. Ensure your thumbs are placed on each side of the back of your neck and your elbows are visible in your peripheral vision.

2. Extend your legs up into the air at 90°.

3. Suck in your stomach, pressing your back into the floor and take a deep breath in.

4. As you breathe out, curl your head, neck and chest forward, lifting the top half of your back off of the ground, all whilst keeping your eyes looking your knees.

5. Breathe in and return the first position. Repeat 10 times.

Now for the twist.

1. Repeat position one with your hands behind your head and legs in the air.

2. This time as you breathe out, and curl your upper body forward, take your right shoulder as far across your chest as you can without moving your hips from the ground.

3. As you breathe in, return to position one.

4. Repeat on the other side. Complete ten for each shoulder.

You’ll find after time, an increase in strength in your abdominal muscles, lower back and pelvis. Now you’ve got this move down, why not try a few more at one of our classes? Find out more on our site or call us on 0191 284 9111