Exercise at home: crunches

Continuing our Exercise at home series this week with crunches and full v-ups.

This is a great exercise to help build and improve strength in the core and abdominal muscles and improve posture and balance.

Once you’ve mastered the crunch try turning your exercise into V-Ups, to work those muscles even further.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart. Place your hands behind your head so your thumbs are behind your ears.

2. Hold your elbows out to the sides but rounded slightly in.

3. Tilt your chin slightly, leaving a few inches of space between your chin and your chest. Gently pull your abdominals inward.

4. Curl up and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift off of the floor. Hold for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower slowly back down.

5. Complete 3 sets of 12 reps.

Progress into Full V-ups:

1. Start in the starting crunch position.

2. Stretch our your arms and legs at the same time so that your body is in a straight line. Tense your core muscles to support your back.

3. Bring your arms and legs in at the same time so you end up touching your toes or getting as close as you can to them.

4. Complete 3 sets of 12 reps.