CARNIVAL time is here again. All the different bacchanal parties and socacise sessions have returned, and as always, patrons flock them for the enjoyment and also to get themselves looking their best for the road march.

So, since I know you want to get those abs, legs and buttocks looking sleek, sexy and toned for these upcoming events, over the next few weeks we will discuss some exercises that will target these areas.

THE ABDOMINAL CRUNCH

This exercise is somewhat familiar to many of you. You have almost surely seen it and maybe you have been doing it or have tried it in the past. Well, to ensure that you have a working knowledge of how to perform the exercise properly and effectively, let’s break it down.

To start, lay on your back with your knees flexed (bent).

Your feet should be flat on the floor and at a comfortable distance from your hips. Keep your neck and spine relaxed and neutrally aligned.

Arms may be placed across the chest, at the sides, or bent placing the fingers behind the ears.

I recommend that you do not put the hands behind the head or neck because when performing the exercise, the temptation is to pull on the head and neck, especially towards the end of the set when the exercise becomes more difficult.

Now proceed to flex your spine and curl your shoulders up off the floor, pulling the abdomen inwards and exhaling while you do so. Keep the neck stabilised and maintain the line of the spine continually throughout the exercise.

Do not use momentum to curl your body up, instead keep the movements slow and controlled, then slowly return to the starting position.

Another variation of the exercise is performed with the knees still bent but the feet are in the air (the angle formed behind the knee joint should be just greater than 90 degrees).

This variation makes it slightly more difficult because more of the lower abdominal muscles are brought into play to keep the legs suspended in the air.

THE HIP LIFT

This is also known as the reverse crunch.

To start, lay on your back with the legs elevated and the heels pointing to the ceiling.

Again, the hands may be at the sides or across the chest. For the purpose of this exercise, hands can be placed behind the head because no movement of the upper body is required, so there is no temptation to pull on the neck. Keep the legs and hips locked and in stable position throughout the exercise.

Now, posteriorly tilt your pelvis (meaning tilt it in the direction of your ribcage) and curl the lower torso upwards thereby lifting the tail bone and further lifting the legs.