This exercise will focus on your upper abdominal muscle.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor [facing the ceiling].

STEP #2: Lift your legs up in the air so they are at about a 90 degree angle with your body.

STEP #3: Draw your belly button in toward your spine.

​STEP #4: Press your lower back against the floor. This is to help eliminate your back from arching.

STEP #5: Extend your arms up toward your legs.

STEP #6: Slowly lift your shoulders off the ground ... and reach your hands toward your feet.

STEP #7: Return your shoulders to the floor ... and immediately reach for your feet again.

​STEP #8: Continue to repeat this movement until you feel your abdominals start to fatigue.

STEP 9: REST.

​STEP #10: REPEAT.

​This exercise will focus on your lower abdominal muscle.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor [facing the ceiling].

STEP #2: Extend your legs straight out.

STEP #3: Place your hands on your stomach so you can feel your abdominal muscles working.

STEP #4: Draw your belly button in toward your spine.

​STEP #5: Press your lower back against the floor. This is to help eliminate your back from arching.

STEP #6: Lift both legs slightly off the floor ... without arching your lower back.

STEP #7: Cross your left foot over your right foot.

STEP #8: Press both legs out in a V shape.

​​STEP #9: Bring both legs back in ... but this time, cross your right foot over your left foot.

​​STEP #10: Repeat this movement [alternating the legs] for 40-60 repetitions ... or until your lower abdominals and/or legs start to fatigue.

STEP #11: REST.

​STEP #12: REPEAT.

This exercise will focus on your lower abdominal muscle.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor [facing the ceiling].

STEP #2: Extend your legs straight out.

STEP #3: Place your hands under your bottom so that your lower back is pressed against the floor. This is to help eliminate your back from arching.

STEP #4: Lift both legs slightly off the floor ... without arching your lower back.

STEP #5: Cross your left foot over your right foot.

STEP #6: Press both legs out in a V shape.

​​STEP #7: Bring both legs back in ... but this time, cross your right foot over your left foot.

​STEP #8: Repeat this movement [alternating the legs] for 40-60 repetitions ... or until your lower abdominals and/or legs start to fatigue.

STEP #9: REST.

​STEP #10: REPEAT.

This exercise will focus on your lower abdominal muscle.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor [facing the ceiling].

STEP #2: Extend your legs straight out.

STEP #3: Place your hands on your stomach so you can feel your abdominal muscles working.

STEP #4: Draw your belly button in toward your spine.

​STEP #5: Press your lower back against the floor. This is to help eliminate your back from arching.

STEP #6: Lift your left leg off the floor as high as it will go without switching body positions.

STEP #7: Slowly lower your left leg back so that it is hovering right above the floor. As you lower your left leg, slowly lift your right leg off the floor.

​STEP #8: Continue to repeat this movement until you feel your lower abdominals start to fatigue.

STEP #9: REST.

​STEP #10: REPEAT.

This exercise will focus on your lower abdominal muscle.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor [facing the ceiling].

STEP #2: Extend your legs straight out.

STEP #3: Place your hands under your bottom so that your lower back is pressed against the floor. This is to help eliminate your back from arching.

STEP #4: Lift your left leg off the floor as high as it will go without switching body positions.

STEP #5: Slowly lower your left leg back so that it is hovering right above the floor. As you lower your left leg, slowly lift your right leg off the floor.

STEP #6: Continue to repeat this movement until you feel your lower abdominals start to fatigue.

​STEP #7: REST.

​STEP #8: REPEAT.

The Dying Cockroach [AKA: The Bicycle] got its name because I have never seen anyone ride a bike in this position. I have seen beetles, though, stuck on their backs struggling to right themselves.

STEP #1: Lie down on your back on the floor with your legs extended out.

STEP #2: Place your hands behind your head with your elbows extended out

STEP #3: Draw your belly button in toward your spine ... keeping your abdominals tight throughout this exercise.

STEP #4: Lift your shoulders off the floor.

STEP #5: Next bring your left knee up toward your chest. At the same time, twist your upper body so that your right elbow touches your left knee.

STEP #6: Without releasing the tension in your abs, switch so that your right knee is lifted toward your chest ... twisting your upper body so that your left elbow touches your right knee.

​STEP #7: Continue alternating between left and right until your abdominal muscles fatigue.

STEP #8: Rest.

STEP #9: Repeat

The Penguin is an exercise that works your entire midsection ... including your upper and lower abdominals and your obliques.

STEP #1: Start by lying down on the floor on your back.

STEP #2: Bend your knees and place your feet on the floor in front of you.

STEP #3: Position your arms so they are by your sides.

STEP #4: Next ... draw your belly button in toward your spine ... and keep your abdominal muscles contracted throughout this exercise.

STEP #5: Lift your shoulders off the floor.

STEP #6: Bend at the waist toward your right side ... reaching your hand toward your right ankle.

STEP #7: Bring your upper body back so it is straight with your lower body.

​STEP #8: Next bend at the waist toward your left side .. reaching for your left ankle.

STEP #9: Bring your upper body back so it is straight with your lower body.

STEP #10: Continue this move for 20-40 repetitions ... or until your abdominal muscles fatigue.

The Obliques muscles of your abdomen are the ones that are located on your sides.

STEP #1: Lie down on your side on the floor.

STEP #3: Bend your knees to help maintain your balance.

STEP #4: Next ... place the hand [that is closest to the ceiling] behind your head. Place your other hand on your obliques so you can feel them working as you perform this exercise.

STEP #5: Lift the top part of your body up toward the ceiling. If you can lift your legs at the same time as you lift your upper body, you will be making this move a little more difficult. It's as if you are trying to fold your body [top to bottom].

STEP #6: Slowly lower your body back to the floor [without totally relaxing your obliques].

STEP #7: Repeat for 40-60 repetitions or until your obliques fatigue.

The Torso Twist is another core exercise that will help strengthen your entire midsection [front and back].

STEP #1: Sit on your bottom on the floor.

STEP #2: Grab a dumbbell [taking the head of each side in a different hand] ... and hold it next to your stomach.

STEP #3: Lean back so that you are balancing on your bottom.

STEP #4: Slowly lift your feet off the floor ... maintaining your balance. If maintaining your balance is an issue when you lift your feet off the floor, leave your heels lightly touching the floor. As you grow stronger, you can gradually move to lifting your feet off the floor.

STEP #5: Draw your belly button in toward your spine. Your midsection should be tight throughout this exercise.

STEP #6: Twist your upper body [along with the dumbbell] as far to the right as you can without straining your back.

​STEP #7: Return the dumbbell and your upper body so it is in alignment with your body.

STEP #8: Next twist your upper body [along with the dumbbell] as far to the left as you can without straining your back.

STEP #9: Return the dumbbell and your upper body so it is in alignment with your body.

​STEP #10: Repeat until you feel your abdominals fatigue.

​Not only does a tighter midsection look great in tight-fitting clothes ... a stronger core means a stronger foundation for everything you do throughout your day.

STEP #1: Start by lying on the floor on your back.

STEP #2: Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor.

STEP #3: Grab a dumbbell and place it on your chest as resistance.

STEP #4: Next ... stare at one spot on the ceiling. Keep your eyes focused on that spot. Try to maintain about a fist-width distance between your chin and your chest. This will help you eliminate the potential for straining your neck.

STEP #5: Draw your belly button in toward your spine and concentrate on keeping your abdominals contracted throughout the exercise.

​STEP #6: While maintaining the same distance between your chin and chest, lift your shoulders off the floor ... while tightening your abdominals.

​​STEP #7: Hold for a moment ... and then slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor.

​STEP #8: Your fitness level determines how many repetitions you should begin with. Shoot for a number that is challenging. For instance, 20 crunches is a struggle, start with that ... and build as your strength increases.