Ab Reaches Exercises

The ab reach exercise targets the rectus abdominis muscles found in the center of the abdomen. Because it requires a great range of motion, it recruits more muscle fibers than traditional abdominal exercises like crunches. Besides improving abdominal strength, ab reaches help increase spine flexibility and make you less susceptible to lower back pain.

  1. Exercise Basics

    • Lie on your back on the floor or an exercise bench. Extend your arms and legs so that your body forms a straight line from head to toe. Slowly curl your head, neck and shoulders up off the floor and reach toward your feet. Your spine should form a “C” shape. Reverse the movement and roll back down to the ground. Repeat for a total of 15 repetitions. For best results, keep your abdominals contracted and use them to lift your body and reach your hands.

    Variations

    • If desired, bend your knees rather than extending your legs when doing ab reaches. To boost the intensity, set your bench at an incline or decline to force your muscles to work a little harder as you exercise. You can also hold a set of dumbbells to increase the intensity of the ab reach. To incorporate your lower abdominals, try the frog ab reach through exercise by pressing the soles of your feet together and extending your knees out to the sides. Roll up as before, but reach through your legs instead of to your feet.

    Tips

    • For best results, keep your heels pressed into the floor as you raise and lower your torso. Do not tuck your chin into your chest when doing ab reaches. This strains your neck muscles and takes the focus away from your abdominals. Instead, keep your neck in a neutral position -- imagine you are holding an apple or grapefruit between your chest and chin. Always exercise in a slow and controlled fashion. Doing ab reaches too fast forces you to rely on momentum rather than muscle.

    Precautions

    • Breathe safely when doing ab reaches. Exhale as you reach, and inhale as you lower your torso to the starting position. Do not hold your breath, which can lead to dizziness and blood pressure fluctuations. Always exercise at your own pace, working your way up to the full 10 repetitions if needed. Never sacrifice form to complete all repetitions. Stop exercising if you experience any neck or back pain. Readjust your position or take a break until the discomfort subsides.