If plain-old crunches aren’t cutting it anymore, try these exercises to fire up your core and sculpt your waist. Each move uses a twisting motion to engage your spinal mobility and stability while toning your entire core. Do this routine at least 3 times a week, and you’ll start to see changes.
Roll Up To Saw
Start on your back with your arms up and overhead and your legs out a little wider than hip distance, almost like a jumping jack position on the floor. Take an inhale, and on your exhale roll up to sitting, rotating to the right with your upper body without shifting your pelvis or legs. Reach your left hand pinky finger over to your right pinky toe and stretch, pulsing 3 times while stretching your right arm long in the opposite direction. Come back to center and roll back down to starting position. Repeat on the other side.
Spine Twist With Hinge
Sitting up tall on your sits bones, bring both hands behind your head with your elbows out wide. Inhale and rotate to the right, twisting and pulsing 3 times. With each pulse and rotation try to sit up a little taller and twist a little further. Make sure to keep your spine nice and tall, and try not to pull on your neck. Return to center and hinge back to fire your core, pulling your core in to keep pressure off your back. Return to center and repeat on the other side.
Criss-Cross To Teaser
Start on your back with your hands laced behind your head, and bend your left knee into your chest while reaching your right leg out long in front of you. Twist and reach your right armpit toward your left knee, making sure not to pull on your neck. Switch to the other side, then back to the right side, and roll up to seated in a teaser position. Slowly lower back down and repeat the steps: left, right, left, roll up into seated. Do 3 reps, alternating sides every 3rd rotation. If you have trouble keeping track of this pattern, just sit up in a teaser position and do criss-cross while seated.
Prevention
