Swiss Ball Crunch & Jacknife help

[betty rocker]

Hi Everyone.
I'm finding it very easy to do 2/10 reps of the two ab exercises in Stage 1.
I added 10lbs, then 15 lbs to the Swiss Ball Crunch (holding weights on my chest) to make it more challenging. Sometimes I'll just increase the reps til I feel challenged to 12-15.
My abs tend to be stronger than other parts of my body. (my shoulders are weak sauce) Is there a way to make these more challenging?
Thanks!
Betty

[stingo]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

Hi Everyone.
I'm finding it very easy to do 2/10 reps of the two ab exercises in Stage 1.
I added 10lbs, then 15 lbs to the Swiss Ball Crunch (holding weights on my chest) to make it more challenging. Sometimes I'll just increase the reps til I feel challenged to 12-15.
My abs tend to be stronger than other parts of my body. (my shoulders are weak sauce) Is there a way to make these more challenging?
Thanks!
Betty

For the swiss ball crunch you could put your feet on a bosu ball, or against (or, harder yet) on top of the top of a weight bench. Not about the jackknives.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Hey Betty,
I was using a 25lb plate to my chest and still fond the crunches pretty easy... then I tried the long-arm version in the book with a 10lb dumbell and it was plenty difficult. The jack-knives shouldn't be easy... my core is pretty strong and I still have problems with them a little. Are you dropping your hips? Really try to get your butt up as high in the air as you can. If you've really outgrown the "tuck" type jack-knife, try the pike one... there's a video floating around here somewhere... I'll try to find it for you :-)

[Littlemermaidklb]

Here you go, found it!
YouTube - Swiss Ball Prone Jackknife

[Natalia]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Here you go, found it!
YouTube - Swiss Ball Prone Jackknife

If the shoulder strength is a limiting factor though, other exercises in the program will build it it up. But don't give up on JackKnives.

[springbean]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

Hi Everyone.
I'm finding it very easy to do 2/10 reps of the two ab exercises in Stage 1.
I added 10lbs, then 15 lbs to the Swiss Ball Crunch (holding weights on my chest) to make it more challenging. Sometimes I'll just increase the reps til I feel challenged to 12-15.
My abs tend to be stronger than other parts of my body. (my shoulders are weak sauce) Is there a way to make these more challenging?
Thanks!
Betty

I agree, I find the weighted crunches pretty easy, I'm going to have to try the long arm version. I also don't find the pike jack-knives that challenging. I thought I wouldn't be able to complete more than a couple, but I'm finding I'm not having trouble or exhausted until around the 9th or 10th rep.

[Isabel]

I thought the swiss ball crunches were too easy at first too. I tried the long arm version, and adding weights, but my favorite way to add difficulty is Stingo's suggestion to put your feet on a bench. It makes the exercise more of a balance challenge and it works great!

[beach_plums]

To make the prone jack-knives more challenging, try putting only your toes on the ball. Or at least less of your leg.
I found the prone jack-knives easier than expected. A friend gave me the toes tip. I tried it and just about fell over.

[Morkai]

I am doing the long arm version these days. I was up to a 25lb plate on my chest and couldn't increase that without choking myself The 25lb was already pushing on my throat when I crunched.

I got up to a 7.5lb on the long arms yesterday (3x12) my abs are already starting to feel it this morning.

[betty rocker]

Thanks everyone! I'll try it out. I won't give up on jacknives!
Before I went to bed...I read NROL4W again, and realized I should be adding one more set in my workout. (duh!--missed that one) i'm in stage one, just moved up from 2 to 3 sets of reps.
That's funny about the 25lb plate. I attempted to pick one up while on the ball...since there was one next to me...and I imagined myself pinned under the plate, so I quickly put it down.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

Thanks everyone! I'll try it out. I won't give up on jacknives!
Before I went to bed...I read NROL4W again, and realized I should be adding one more set in my workout. (duh!--missed that one) i'm in stage one, just moved up from 2 to 3 sets of reps.
That's funny about the 25lb plate. I attempted to pick one up while on the ball...since there was one next to me...and I imagined myself pinned under the plate, so I quickly put it down.

hahha I've so been there.... the hardest part for me was my arms felt it more than my abs cuz i was tryin so dang hard just to hold that stupid plate to me! The long-arm version is definitely easier that way, but actually tougher on your abs (or so I've found)

[marygrace]

Originally Posted by Littlemermaidklb

Here you go, found it!
YouTube - Swiss Ball Prone Jackknife

Thanks for posting this video. I thought I was doing the exercise correctly, but that makes it clear that I'm not, and also why I seemed to be having a much easier time doing them than most of the other people around here. I'm looking forward to seeing just how challenging the correct way actually is when I do workout A on Saturday.

[betty rocker]

thanks for posting the video. that looks much more challenging than the one i'm doing. (the tuck)
cirque du soleil, here i come!

[Littlemermaidklb]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

cirque du soleil, here i come!

LOL!

And MaryGrace, either way is "correct". If you can't quite do the pike ones yet you can do the tuck ones... just make sure to get your butt as high in the air as possible and don't drop your hips... if you drop your hips it's incredibly easy :-)

[rwmct]

If the jacknifes are too easy you can "walk" out and back on your hands before each one. And if that is too easy, you can also add a pushup.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by betty rocker

thanks for posting the video. that looks much more challenging than the one i'm doing. (the tuck)
cirque du soleil, here i come!

Except with cirque they'd have your hands on stability balls too.