The
Crunch Pulldown is a very simple exercise to do, perfect
for hitting the abs in a way they're not used to at all.
For this one, all you need is a high pulley and a bar
attachment.
Hook
up the bar to the pulley and set a moderate weight on
it. You don't want to go too heavy or you won't be able
to perform the exercise. Once you do it once, you'll get
a better idea of how much weight you can use.
Lie
on your back under the pulley. In the picture, I have
an adjustable-height pulley and have it set a few feet
off the ground. If you have just a regular high pulley
that you can move, it'll work exactly the same but you'll
have to grab the bar THEN lie down in position rather
than lying down first then reaching up and grabbing the
bar.
So
once you're on your back (with your head diretly under
the pulley), pull the bar down so that your elbows are
bent about 90 degrees. Your knees should be bent 90 degrees
and feet placed flat on the floor for this one. The bar
should be 8 to 12 inches above your body. That's the start
position.
Now
crunch up. But here's the kick - as you're crunching up,
don't use the weight to help pull yourself up...instead,
perform a pulldown movement as you're crunching up. To
do this, just pull the bar down towards your lower chest
until it touches your lower chest.
So
not only do you get the normal tension from the crunch
movement, you're also getting tension on the abs using
the weight from the pulldown movement. This really fires
up the six-pack muscles to help them stand out. It's a
unique angle of resistance that your abs have probably
never felt before!
Move
your mouse on an off this picture to see the exercise
in action.
