Exercise:

Swiss Ball Leg Raises

Target Muscle:

Lower Abs

Secondary Muscle:

Upper Abs, Obliques, Hip Flexors

Equipment Needed:

Swiss Ball (dumbbell if necessary)

Proper Execution:

Position the ball on the ground so that you are able to hold onto something about 6 to 10 inches higher than the height of the ball. Lie across the ball and extend your arms behind your body to hold onto something for support. With a slight bend in your knees, raise your legs up until they about 10-12 inches higher than parallel. Pause briefly at the top and then lower your legs back down until they are 4-5 inches below parallel. Continue until you reach muscular failure.

Tips:

You can make this exercise more difficult by using narrow grip to support your body. The exercise also becomes harder depending on how high or low the ball is resting on your body. Start out by seeing what works best for you and gradually make the exercise more difficult as you become stronger and more skilled. You can also hold a dumbbell in between your ankles to add extra resistance if necessary.