Ab Scissors

On your back, legs straight and low: cross them past each other in turn, keeping the lower back flat on the floor.

Ab Scissors, illustrated

How to do it

Setup

On your back, legs straight, held just off the floor, lower back pressed down.

Steps

  1. Cross the legs past each other in turn.
  2. Keep both legs off the floor throughout.
  3. Stop when the lower back starts to lift.

Common mistakes

Back arching: raise the legs higher or end the set; the press-down IS the exercise. Huge sweeps: small controlled crosses. Breath held: steady through the burn.

Breathing

Steady throughout; never held.