This is the world-famous “six-pack” muscle. If it’s in shape, you can wow an audience with it should you be daring enough remove your shirt—as well as manage your Center of Mass (COM) while skiing. If not, your trunk goes all over the place—and so do you. These “abs” help you move your hips and lower trunk relative to your upper trunk. In skiing, proper use of the “six-pack” keeps your stance erect. I’m sure you’ve watched skiers skiing with their nose pointed at their ski boots. Without any serious abdominal muscle contractions, their upper trunk flops over their hips. But worse than that, that lack of abdominal engagement requires them to use their upper body to help them turn—yuck! They could also stand to contract their glutes (Ski Muscle of the Week # 6).
So let’s give ‘em a workout:
Captain's chair. You need to elevate yourself off the floor for this one so that our legs can dangle freely. Most gyms have equipment for this exercise. With your feet hanging off the floor, lift both legs from the hips.
Bicycle crunch exercise. Lie on the floor with your hands held gently behind your head. Lift your knees about 45 degrees. With a bicycle motion, alternate touching your opposite knee and elbow.
Ab crunch on an exercise ball. Rest your lower back on an exercise ball or other flexible exercise equipment that will cradle your back. Place hands behind your head, and slowly raise your upper torso to about 45 degrees.
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