THE EXERCISES FOR A BETTER MIDSECTION

Partial Physioball Crunch (Upper Abs)
Lie faceup with the ball supporting your hips, low back and midback. Place your feet on the floor in a wide stance and bend your legs to 90 degrees. Cross your arms over your chest, rest each hand on the opposite shoulder, and contract your abs. Curl forwarding by trying to shorten the distance between the bottom of your rib cage and your hip-bones. Bring your upper torso up to about 45 degrees from horizontal and then return to the starting position.

Forward Ball roll.(Obliques, core)
Kneel facing the ball. Lean forward slightly and place your forearms on top of the ball with your finger interlaced, contracting your abs. Slowly roll the ball forward by extending your forearms, out in front of you and allowing your body to tilt toward the floor. Maintain a neutral alignment of your spine. Hold this position for three seconds and then return to the starting position, exhaling as you do so.

Supine Physioball Trunk Rotation ( Obliques,core)
Lie faceup on the ball with your low back and midback supported. Bend your knees to 90 degrees and position your feet on the floor in a wide stance. Extend your arms outward from your chest and grasp a small weight plate or medicine ball between your hands, contracting your abs. Rotate slowly to the left and carry the weight toward the floor without moving your shoulders independent of your torso. Gently reverse direction, return to the starting position and then rotate to the right.

Lateral Crunch ( Obliques,core)
Support your right-hip area on the ball and extend your left leg out to the floor at a 45 degree angle. Secure your left feet to the floor, bends your right knee slighty, and allow your right foot to rest beneath or behind the left. Place your hands behind your heads and splay your elbows wide, contracting your abs. Start with your right side completely supported on the ball so that your trunk is roughly parallel to the floor, Pull your trunk upright by contracting the muscle of your left side. Pause briefly at the top of the movement and then return to the starting position and repeat. Do a full set, then switch sides.

Physioball Prone Jackknife (Lower abs)
Assume a push-up position with your feet positioned close together on the ball. Maintain a neutral spine and neck alignment. Pull your knees toward your elbows, and roll the ball forward with your feet until your knees are directly underneath your chest. While contracting your abs, hold this position for two seconds and then return to the starting position and repeat.
.(Men’s Fitness, june, 2002)