Back Strengthening Program - second level

The next level is a variation on the curl-up. Just start the same as you would with a plain curl-up, but in the middle of your trip to sitting up, you stop, rotate your shoulders to one side and continue holding, then release and curl down. Repeat, twisting slightly to the other side. You can add more twist as you get better at this. When you twist to the side, you engage a wider range of stomach muscles. If you're having problems doing the curlup without overarching your back, try just barely lifting your shoulders off the floor. If you can't do that, contract your muscles as if your shoulders had lifted from the floor, even though they haven't. And bending your hips and knees slightly more might help. Remember to keep pressing the small of your back to the floor so you don't arch it.