Exercise of the Week: Standing Crunch

Exercise of the Week: Standing Crunch __________________ Rectus Abdominus: Primary System Used Definition of the Rectus Abdominus: The rectus abdominus muscle is a paired muscle running vertically on each side of the anterior wall of the abdomen. There are two parallel muscles, separated by a midline band of connective tissue called the linea alba. It extends from the pubic symphysis/pubic crest inferiorly to the xiphoid process "Be The Change..."	Because we know that a lot of the abdominal work taught at the end of our classes can be sacrificed when babies start to get fussy, let's try to incorporate some core work into the body of our classes. The standing crunch is a very easy way to accomplish this task. Start with arms over head, knees soft and core engaged. Bring rib cage to hips bones as the arms come forward (almost like you are throwing a ball overhead). Your clients need to really pay attention to that abdominal contraction and make sure it is the core making the movement happen, not the arms. Feel free to take the intensity up by lifting one foot off the ground for a balance challenge! CLICK HERE to watch a video of this exercise! CUES: Keep knees soft. Keep shoulders depressed and retracted Focus on the stability and strength of the core BREATHE MODIFICATIONS: For a less intense version keep both feet on the ground and take out the balance element. The Prenatal "WHY" of this exercise: This exercise works on core strength in the vertical position. Working on the pregnant core is vital to spine stability and the functionality of motherhood. This is a great opportunity for both! _____________________________________

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