Step by Step Guide

  1. Starting Position:
    • Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    • Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your sit bones.
    • Keep your chest lifted and your spine straight, engaging your core muscles to maintain balance.
  2. Engage Core Muscles:
    • Engage your core by drawing your navel towards your spine and pressing your lower back into the floor.
    • Keep your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears throughout the exercise.
  3. Rotate to One Side:
    • Rotate your torso to one side, bringing your left hand towards the floor beside your left hip.
    • Extend your right arm overhead, reaching towards the ceiling.
  4. Crunch:
    • From the rotated position, engage your obliques and abdominals to lift your chest towards your knees, performing a crunch.
    • Aim to bring your right elbow towards your left knee, squeezing your obliques at the top of the movement.
  5. Return to Starting Position:
    • Lower your torso back towards the starting position, maintaining control and stability.
    • Keep your feet lifted off the ground throughout the exercise to engage the lower abs.
  6. Repeat on the Other Side:
    • Rotate your torso to the opposite side, bringing your right hand towards the floor beside your right hip.
    • Extend your left arm overhead and perform a crunch, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
  7. Continue Alternating Sides:
    • Repeat the movement, alternating sides with each crunch to work both sides of the obliques evenly.

Benefits of The Side Boat Hold Crunches

  1. Oblique Strengthening: This exercise targets the oblique muscles on the sides of the torso, helping to strengthen and tone the core.
  2. Abdominal Activation: By performing crunches in a rotated position, Side Boat Hold Crunches engage the entire abdominal region, including the rectus abdominis and transverse abdominis.
  3. Improved Balance: Balancing on the sit bones challenges stability and balance, enhancing proprioception and coordination.
  4. Flexibility Enhancement: The rotational aspect of this exercise improves flexibility in the spine and torso, leading to increased range of motion and mobility.

Tips for Beginners:

  1. Start with Basic Boat Pose: Beginners should begin by practicing the basic boat pose without the rotation or crunch.
  2. Focus on Control: Concentrate on maintaining control and stability throughout the exercise, rather than speed.
  3. Modify as Needed: If lifting both feet off the ground is too challenging, beginners can keep one foot on the ground for added support.
  4. Engage Core Muscles: Keep the core muscles engaged throughout the exercise to support the spine and protect against lower back strain.